Creating a Memory
by Nani mo Nai
Summary: When everything is lost, including his memory, nothing remains but hope and faraway dreams that lead Seifer Almasy into the arms of Squall Leonhart. However, will the blonde's dark past come to haunt him in his new life and destroy his spirit once more?
1. On a Rainy Night

hhehee yes...finally i am back again. life's changed for me, but i hope it only served to better my writing skills ^^

this story is dedicated to my beloved friend Mary and my newfound friend Antony. Many thanks for your inspirations. never would have picked up the pen to write again if it weren't for you two.

*hugs*

as for disclaimer: i don't own the charas or anything, just the plot :P

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'What is this place….?'

Heavy rain poured from the overcast sky… the sewage was starting to stink.

'….I know I've been here before……'

Familiar scent, the stinking sewage was surely a familiar scent. And the pouring rain, the sound of it echoing in the alley. Yes, this was familiar.

'…. This place…. Yes I must have been here before…. But….'

It was getting foggy and the alley was all but deserted. Viridian eyes searched the buildings for anything that would give him that tugging feeling in his heart which had led him to this alleyway from the start.

'…. I can't remember…. Anything…. I can't remember anything!'

The sound was drowned away as the soothing blackness descended.

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"Papa! Look Papa!" a lil girl's voice.

Squall frowned as the little girl tugged on his hand, slipping out from under the umbrella.

"Marlene! You'll get wet and make papa worry about you. Where are you going, baby, it's late. Papa has work tomorrow."

"Papa! Is the man dead?"

Squall sighed and searched the alley for what had captured the interest of his obstinate daughter. His wondrous grey eyes widened as they fell on the figure of a man slouched against the wall, drenched from the rain, with a rat scurrying beside him, studying the man as intensely as Squall now was.

"Papa! Is the man dead?" Marlene repeated.

Squall frowned in concentration as he followed his daughter's incessant tugs towards the man. The brunet poked the figure with the tip of his shoe before squatting down beside Marlene.

"Hey? Hey, you alive?" Squall waved his hand before the man's face, his eyes studying the handsome features of the man who was clearly passed out. Blonde, around 6 ft 5, tanned…. Squall cleared his throat, reaching to search the man's pockets. Nothing. Not even a wallet. No Money. No identification.

Marlene pouted, "Are we gonna leave him? Is the man bad?"

Squall frowned, "I donno kid… shall we bring him and find out?"

Marlene smiled, she knew her father was going to save him from the start. Her father was a hero, after all. She believed her father was an Angel, he saved her from Mommy and That Man. Her thoughts switched to the poor wet man as Squall lifted him slightly off the ground, supporting the bigger man's weight as he passed the umbrella to her. "Marlene, baby, hold the umbrella and don't get wet. Let's hurry home."

By the time the key turned in the lock, it was heavily raining and Squall was just as wet as the blonde he had picked up.

Marlene ran ahead, opening the towel closet and pulling a few, handing them to her father as he set the man down on the kitchen floor and flexed his arms and shoulders.

Squall took the towels and dried his hair before slipping out of his wet shirt. "Marlene, love, go and ready the bath for this man. He's shivering. I'll dump him in the warm water for a while. Run along."

Marlene nodded and ran out of the kitchen, spreading her arms along her sides like a plane as she skidded down the hall to the bathroom. Squall sighed as he kneeled close to the man. His heart almost tugged as he stared at the handsome blonde. His lashes were long, almost feminine in their allure, the cheekbones high and well rounded, and his lips…

"Daddy! It's ready!"

Marlene's voice snapped Squall out of his reverie and the brunet stood up, once again pulling the blonde to his side, pulling him in his wake to the bathroom. Sighing in frustration, Squall dumped the man in the tub, clothes and all, making Marlene squeal in delight.

Squall turned to his daughter, "Marlene…. Bring a few more towels and one of papa's shorts."

Marlene returned two minutes later with the towels and a pair of boxer shorts, leaving them on the towel rack in the bathroom before quietly leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Squall sighed as he went to work stripping the blonde. There were so many scars on the blonde's chest and back. Squall traced some with his milky white fingertips before tugging on the wet pants, dumping the soaked garments in a pile on the ground. After making sure the blonde's body was warm enough, Squall hauled the bigger man out of the tub and sat him against the wall, proceeding to dry the blonde's short cropped honey-colored hair before slipping to pat the towel along the man's broad chest and narrow waist. The man sure was burly, muscles etched along his arms and abs. Who was this man?

Marlene followed her father as Squall guided the blonde to the bed in the guestroom and tucked him in. Squall sighed once more as he switched off the light and walked out, shutting the door softly behind him. The lean brunet ran a towel through his shoulder-length hair, attempting to dry his dark locks as he followed Marlene to the kitchen.

Squall sat across the table from his seven-year old daughter, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to soothe the tension building there. Guess he was going to have to miss work a few days, the blonde was no ordinary man, but then again life hasn't been ordinary for Squall for a very long time anyway.


	2. White Lies

sorry! once again, a short chapter. kinda warming up to the whole writing thing and the story .... so please bear with me ^^"

Thank you so much for reading on and i hope the story is progressing well.

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"I assume that the brat from your division, Almasy, was taken care of?"

"I assure you, he was taken care of. Now it's like he never existed."

"Are you sure? That man has it in him to rise from the dead."

"Oh no, this time we didn't try to kill him."

"I am not following….."

"…Please, don't worry yourself with minor details, Mister Irvine. Just relish in the fact that from today onwards, we're free to do as we please and no one to track us down."

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Sunlight filtered through the splits in the curtains and green eyes snapped open in surprise before clouding in a sudden spurt of pain.

Seifer uttered a few obscenities as he sat up in the comfortable, queen sized bed.

'Where the hell is this place?'

Seifer's head hurt, a lot. He ran a hand through his short, blonde hair before gazing around at his surroundings. Before his surroundings, his mind registered he was definitely not in the same clothes he was in yesterday, or lack of them, for that matter. The sun was bright, surprisingly so, considering the heavy rain that flooded the city of Balamb the night before. The room was very warm and inviting, with a warm aura about it that was completely soothing. And Seifer needed soothing right now more than ever.

The blonde got up, flexing his arms and legs. He felt alright. Hungry, but alright. The carpet beneath his feet was so soft it almost tickled. Emerald eyes flickered over to the door. The house was very silent, almost too silent. Seifer's instincts took over as he crept over and quietly pulled open the door. The hallway was decorated with pictures of a handsome young man and a little girl. They looked very alike. Seifer concluded the man must be the father of the adorable cherub. They had the same eyes and hair, except the girl's was longer, and something about the glitter in the man's eyes, even in the stillness of the photo, portrayed a lot of emotion. Protectiveness? Possessiveness?

Seifer shook his head to clear his confused, tormented thoughts and continued to silently make his way down the hallway to what seemed to be another wing of the house. There were two doors. He knew which one belonged to which. The pink door with 'My Room' scribbled in a child's writing must be the daughter's. Seifer pressed his ear close to the more formal door, his hand resting gently on the knob. He didn't know why he was so alert and tense, besides, he knew for a fact the host of the house meant no harm. However, his instincts were screaming at him. Everything seemed completely wrong now.

'Of course everything is wrong, you idiot… the only thing you remember is your own name! No wait… Not even your full name! Just 'Seifer'! For all you know it could be the name of a cookie factory!'

Seifer's head was starting to hurt again and, with much effort, he pushed his thoughts behind as he slowly pushed open the door. Empty. The whole house was empty. A majestic bed was huddled to one corner of the large room, a huge wardrobe on the opposite wall. A vanity mirror with its adjoined table and drawers was on the other end of the room with a chair tucked to it. 'A woman's touch?' A large window ran through the wall behind the bed, giving a nice view of the late morning sun reflecting off some trees in the neighborhood.

The blonde groaned in annoyance as he felt something tug in him at the sight outside the window. Growling, he walked further into the room, and began looking for something to indentify "his savior" or even give him any sort of hint if a relationship had ever existed between himself and the man.

'Hell….I just remembered! I …can't remember who'd been my friends in my life! Damn…wonder if I was married.' Seifer grinned at the thought before frowning. This was surely no laughing matter and now was no time for sarcastic jokes.

He went to work, methodically searching the drawers and closets, careful not to disrupt anything in the tidy room. At the base of the closet, beneath the piles of neatly folded laundry, Seifer felt what seemed to be a frame. He pulled it out, sitting back to stare at the photo of the host of the house, assuming so since it's the same man from the pictures outside, yet this time he was with a woman. A lovely one at that.

Seifer read out loud, "Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartily, Just Forever."

"I hope you're going to put that where you found it now, you don't look like you thieve around for a living."

Seifer gasped, jumping to his feet and dropping the frame, watching in stunned silence as it fell to the ground.

Squall sighed and pushed away from the doorframe he had been casually leaning upon.

Silence filled the air as the two men sized each other up. Curious stormy grey eyes bore into sensually emerald ones.

"How long were you there?" Seifer's face heated with the embarrassment of being caught sneaking and ransacking.

"Long enough to watch in amusement as you searched my closet for …. Evidence I suppose? Aha, you were trying to find something about your kidnapper so you can call the cops?" Squall gave the blonde a mocking smile before bending to pick up the frame and stash it once again under his pile of clothes.

"You don't look like you kidnap for a living. And I'm hardly a kid." Seifer glared at the brunet.

Squall drawled out, amused, "You're very observant. I'm most definitely am not a kidnapper."

"You're quite observant yourself. I most definitely am not a thief."

Squall chuckled in good-natured humor, "Well now, since we have established common ground, how about you tell me your name? You already know mine, I'm Squall Leonhart. The one and only."

Seifer cleared his throat, "Seifer."

"Seifer? So….Seifer what?" Squall asked curiously.

The blonde seemed to growl with annoyance and frustration and the reason was beyond Squall. Definitely, the brunet was not asking a personal question.

"Um just Seifer. I have issues with my family so… yea, not sure if I'm getting disowned…disnamed or whatever…. No such word…." Seifer turned slightly from the probing gaze of the surprised man as he lied with what he hoped was a straight face.

Squall raised a brow, "…Wow at this age? Well….family issues. None of my business. So…What were you doing down at the alley last night? I mean, couldn't be you were showering cuz your house ran out of water right?"

Seifer glared at the brunet, "Are you mocking me?"

Squall ignored the question, moving on, "Well… What do you do for a living?"

Seifer's face turned red with anger, "What the hell? You FBI or something?"

'_Undercover…'_ the word echoed in the blonde's ears, making his head spin as his vision grew blurry.

Squall reached for the blonde's arm to steady him, "Hey….you okay? I think you got some low blood pressure issues. Don't get too angry, you'll pass out….. I think; I'm no doctor but…"

Seifer shook his head and pulled away abruptly, "I'm fine. My head aches but it's nothing. I gotta get going…you know…parents are worried I'm sure."

'Who are my bloody parents anyway!!!' Seifer once again buried the thought frantically away as he almost broke into cold sweat.

Squall raised a sarcastic brow at the comment, something was just not right about this guy.

"Amazing you still live with your family, you surely must be the family type, huh."

Seifer nodded in quick agreement, although he didn't quite know if he was or not, "Yea, I love my old folks."

"I thought they were gonna disown you." Squall frowned, he was right; something wasn't right about this guy at all.

Seifer grit his teeth and turned around, "Thank you for everything. I'll go um…fix up the guest room… I hope you don't mind showing me where my clothes are."

Squall gasped, "OH MY! I…forgot your clothes in the bathroom yesterday. DAMN! Sorry, Seifer… I'll wash them and dry them right away. I was tired last night, didn't remember after tucking my daughter in…"

Seifer sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Bathroom?"

Squall visibly grimaced, feeling only a little shy at the memory, "Well…your body temperature was low and I thought trying to drown you in hot water could help."

Seifer grinned, "Well doctor, as you can see, it did. Maybe you can publish a book about your findings now."

Squall laughed, his grey eyes twinkling as he turned to walk out, stopping at the doorway to smile endearingly at Seifer, "This means you won't be going anywhere for a while. Maybe you can tell me who you really are and what you really do in your life. After all, you don't look like the nurse type who tends to elderly, unappreciative parents who, regardless of your loving nature, want to disown you."


	3. Complications

Squall was brewing coffee for himself and his "guest" when Seifer walked in. The blonde was still in the pair of shorts from the night before and Squall turned to watch as Seifer made his way to a kitchen chair, his manner calm and almost unhurried. It was only half past two, and little Marlene was not due from school for at least another half hour. Seifer drummed his fingers on the edge of the table as he felt Squall's intense eyes on him, his own grassy green eyes avoiding the intense stare, opting to study the marble tiles in the kitchen instead.

Surely, Squall was a neat man. Everything was in place. There was no sign of unclean dishes from nights before, the sink and surrounding marble was spotless. Seifer's head suddenly snapped up, "Where's your wife? I've been thinking all this time…. How come you're so alone here? And the hallway…. There's no picture of the woman, Rinoa. Your wife right?"

Squall cleared his throat, pouring the coffee into two mugs and setting them on the kitchen table, slowly sliding one mug closer to Seifer's reach.

"We woke up from the dream."

Seifer's eyes narrowed as he studied the brunet's expression, "What dream?"

Squall sipped some coffee, "Well, the fairytale dream. You know, the one with prince charming and princess faire. The 'happily ever after' and 'forever and beyond' dream."

Seifer didn't know, and shook his head before dismissing the topic. If he kept prying, Squallie just might end up asking him about his own life all over again. Better not to owe the brunet anything.

Squall seemed lost in his own thoughts as he sipped more of the coffee. He was feeling quite relaxed in the presence of the older man, and once again, his eyes were studying the blonde over the rim of the mug.

Seifer bristled, "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like that." To demonstrate, Seifer let his eyes roam along Squall's features, almost as if to memorize every single curve and bend of his face.

Squall laughed, "I don't know. Something about you has my interest piqued."

Seifer frowned and sipped some coffee before wincing slightly, "Your coffee skills….."

The brunet's gaze turned almost deadly in a light-hearted manner, "Don't you dare…"

Seifer grinned, blatantly ignoring the warning, "This stuff…. This is what woke you two up from the dream! How the hell do you make this? Doesn't take a chef to brew coffee!"

Squall laughed and groaned at the same time, "As if you can make better coffee! It's probably the reason you're getting disowned!"

Seifer smiled mirthfully, the air turning serious with that comment.

Squall's expression was no longer humorous either. For some reason, everything about Seifer interested him. He wanted to know the truth. The reason those emerald eyes grow suddenly so cold. The reason behind the scars. The reason behind why the blonde was gritting his teeth now and looking so agitated.

The silence stretched on without one making a move to lighten the mood.

'_What am I supposed to tell him? I fuckin don't know my own identity?'_

'_Why is he lying to me? Wonder if I did anything that set him off.'_

'_What the hell if he looking at me so intensely for? How the hell did I end up in this mess?'_

'_Why does he look so confused and forlorn? Something is just not right.'_

"_What does he want from me?"_

"_What is he hiding?"_

Both men opened their mouths, about to say something as the door burst open and a jumpy young girl skipped into the kitchen.

"Papa! I'm home!"

Squall's expression softened almost instantly. His eyes grew warm with what Seifer knew was utter adoration as he opened his arms and called to his daughter.

"Marlene! Welcome home! How was school today?"

The girl skipped a few steps before stopping abruptly to gaze curiously at the blonde, leaning close to stare him in the eye, "You're not dead!"

Seifer raised a confused brow and Squall laughed cheerfully, "He's alive, Mary, and very stubborn."

"Ah! Like papa then!" Marlene giggled and walked into her father's arms, ignoring his not-so-happy expression over her comment. Seifer, on the other hand, burst out laughing, "Well well, I think I'm starting to like you, kid."

Marlene grinned and nodded in satisfaction before turning to her father, starting to explain and describe in minute detail the happenings of her day.

Seifer watched as Squall nodded or gasped in exaggerated surprise in all the right places. Squall apparently loved his daughter very much. Squall was of slightly smaller stature than him, his muscles not so toned and obvious and his skin almost flawless.

'_I wonder what he does for a living…'_

Silky, chocolate strands loosely bobbed to Squall's every head movement, creating a serene picture as Marlene sat in her father's lap, swinging her legs and growing louder with her excitement. Seifer smiled as he leaned forward to rest his head on his palm, continuing his silent appraisal of the brunet and his daughter.

'_How old is he? 29? 28? Hmmm he is younger than me… I think. Fuck…I don't know how old I am! Oh my god! What else about me don't I know? I don't know my weight! …I should stop making fun of the situation, this is serious damn it all! I still think I'm young though. I don't care how old I am! I'm young!' _

"Seifer?"

Seifer snapped out of his monologues, "Wha?"

"Marlene thinks you're going to set something on fire with your eyes."

Marlene giggled as her father spoke in that voice that meant he was teasing.

Seifer frowned in confusion, "I don't get it… What's the joke now, wise guy?"

Squall laughed and waved his hand in a haughty manner, "Sorry, I forgot you were slow and…"

"… from the stone ages!" Marlene chimed in.

"Yea! What a brilliant daughter I have. So as I was saying, Seifer, you won't understand the joke so I won't bother wasting my time explaining."

Seifer sighed in exasperation and turned to smile at Marlene, "So sugarpuff, how old are you?"

"Seven years old!" Marlene cried happily.

Seifer smiled and nodded.

"How about you mister?"

Seifer's eyes clouded. _'Shit… I'm an idiot!'_ "Um… you can call me Seifer, if you let me call you Marlene that is!"

Squall's gaze narrowed slightly as his daughter giggled, "You can call me Mary!"

Seifer smiled, thankful to God that children's minds were so fickle, "Mary it is, cutie."

The brunet sighed and allowed the change in topic. He and the handsome blonde needed to talk. Big time.

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"Have you located his whereabouts?"

"Not yet, Mister Irvine, we'll find him. However, I do assure you, our experiments never fail. After all, your institution funds them!"

"If everything comes crashing down on us, Madam Quistis, your head will be served to this institution on a wooden platter. Your division is infamous for its failure!"

"This time, we will prove everyone wrong and show the world our real power. Do not worry about small fry. Almasy is no longer functioning right. He's a blank sheet. No one else will come in our way. You can set up the meeting any day next month, by then our equipment is complete, and our plan invincible. You, Mister Irvine, will become invincible."

"What's in it for you, Madam Quistis?"

"Your success is my success. It's all I am looking for, Mister Irvine."

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Squall returned to the kitchen with Seifer's clothes, clean and dry, yet a little wrinkled and in need of ironing. Marlene was in the shower, singing merry lullabies and the sun was halfway across the sky, the late afternoon breeze warm as it blew in through the small kitchen window that the brunet left open since the morning. The gust of wind toyed with Squall's hair as he handed Seifer his clothes and moved to sit on a chair, watching as Seifer pulled on his shirt yet sat back down, tossing his pants aside on the adjacent chair.

"Ah, finally…"

Squall chuckled halfheartedly, "Sorry, it didn't occur to me to lend you a shirt. I was…preoccupied."

Seifer brushed it aside with a shrug and turned to look out the window, "I want a cigarette…."

'_So I'm a smoker? I think so… I mean if this feeling. Yea…I think I used to smoke. So they're right after all! Old habits do die hard! …Question is: who's killed my old habits? … Or is it a 'what'? Damn…'_

"I don't smoke. Would you tell me what's going on? Seifer?"

Seifer sighed and turned to glare at the brunet, "Don't you respect privacy? I got human rights, you know?"

"I got hero rights!"

"What the hell's that?!" Seifer almost shouted, incredulous.

"Well, it means that I have the right to know something about you besides your name, which coming from you is probably an alias anyway."

Seifer growled in frustration, "MY NAME IS SEIFER!"

Squall frowned slightly at the added passion in the blonde's voice. _'When was the last time anyone cared that deeply about their name? Why is he reacting so strongly anyway?'_

"You know Seifer, this is becoming boring."

"Yes, I agree. So stop prying."

"Who are you?"

"Some guy you randomly picked up from the streets on a rainy night."

"…You know you have no identification cards, no wallet, no money…NOTHING on you?"

Seifer snickered, "I noticed. I donno when I noticed but I fuckin noticed alright!"

Squall jumped off his chair, "Stop acting like a child and tell me the fuckin details of your life right now or get out of my house!"

Seifer was slapped to reality by that comment; his head was pounding, growing light with the pressure as he tried hard to remember anything, even a glimpse, of who he really was and what the hell was going on.

"Papa, don't shout at our guest. It's not nice" Marlene stood in the doorway, wrapped snugly in her bathrobe, her hair dripping as the sweet scent of strawberry body wash flooded the kitchen.

"Marlene, go inside and get dressed. Papa needs to know who this man really is!" Squall turned to glare at Seifer, who had gotten out of his chair and was hastily pulling on his pants.

"Papa, don't be so angry…" Marlene's eyes were getting misty.

Seifer walked over to the only pair of shoes by the door, "These are mine right?"

Squall snorted, "Can't recognize your own shoes? You're out of your mind."

The blonde snorted right back, "I'll take that as a yes. Thank you for your hospitality. Goodbye!"

"BYE!" Squall almost yelled.

The door banged shut behind the blonde. The house fell silent.


	4. Back Again

Seifer sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he looked around the unfamiliar street.

'_Where the hell am I? Of course, I don't know. Now's a good time to join the 'Who's gonna win a Million Dollars' show, betcha I'll answer everything. Starting with my name. Wohoo! Damn street. It's not my fault all the streets look the same these days! Technology screws up lives! No…wait I'm talking like I'm from the old generation. I might not know my age but I'm young and handsome! Start acting like one, Blondie!' _

Birds were still chirping, going about their daily routines as the street bustled with calm activity. Sunlight continued to filter through the plants and break in the clouds. The street was filled with an almost soothing scent. Maybe it was the scent from the café a few blocks down. Not that he can afford to find out. The blonde sighed again. He knew in his current situation, he had no place to go to. It was downright stupid of him to have left Squall's house without thinking twice. It annoyed the blonde that Squall had let him go so easily.

'_Well I don't need a stupid, neat freak of a father anyway… I'll look for and find Me on my own.'_

Seifer took to the street, deciding to walk North almost aimlessly. There was no tightening in his chest or no instincts telling him where to turn, and definitely not a sense of familiarity that everyone always unconsciously relies on. There were sign boards here and there pointing to names of other adjacent roads and streets. Not one name sent a jolt down his lithe frame.

'_Maybe I can find my name in some records? Where? Police office! Omg… was I a criminal? Hell what if I'm wanted?! No, no, not logical.'_

Afternoon was quickly turning to dusk. Seifer's stomach growled in demanding hunger. The blonde shrugged and kept walking, staring around the blocks in annoyed interest, trying to find something that would make his head spin and grow faint. Seifer's senses were sharp, and even he could see that whenever he remembered something vital, he would come close to losing consciousness. The wind was howling, growing more billowy as the night drew nearer. A shiver ran down the blonde's spine as his emerald eyes turned to the sky. The clouds were silvery grey, reminding the blonde of Squall's intense eyes. It was going to rain.

'_Damn it all…'_

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Marlene sat with her father around the kitchen table, working on her homework as her father absentmindedly leaned over her books along with her. Her twinkling grey eyes were rather intelligent as she looked up from her math homework to stare at her father, who was frowning slightly, apparently deep in thought.

'_He looked like he had no idea who he was. What if he has amnesia? Oh Lord! Does that mean he has nowhere to go? I kicked him out so heartlessly! …He did get on my nerves. That rotten, obstinate idiot. Why did he lie though? Maybe he's a conman! I mean he had so many scars. What if he's involved with the Mafia or some mob? It's not like I can welcome such a man in the house. I have Mary to think of. Damn… Am I just trying to dissolve my own guilt? Seifer's no conman. Damn….'_

Squall's eyes were unfocused, staring beyond the page. His hand was absently toying with the dark locks at his nape, giving a big indication that the brunet was lost in deep thought.

"Papa? Are you okay, Papa?"

Squall was too lost in his thoughts to hear his daughter. Marlene smiled and reached over the table to pat her father's hand. Just then, thunder sounded outside, causing the brunet to jump out of his chair in surprise and dismay. Marlene instantly retracted her hand.

"Papa?!" Mary's eyes clouded with worry and instant fear.

Squall reached to pat his daughter's head, "Don't worry… It will be okay… It's time for Papa to make dinner. Finish up your HW, sweetie."

Mary smiled in relief and bent back over her notebook as Squall gazed affectionately at his little cherub, his grey eyes determined.

'_Mary comes before everything. She is my everything.'_

*FLASHBACK IN SQUALL'S MIND*

"_I have found another!"_

"_What do you mean, you've found another? Are you crazy woman? Your daughter is just one!"_

"_She's your daughter too, you damn tyrant! You never pay attention to anyone or anything, you cold, callous toad!"_

"_Shut up and go fetch some food for your daughter, she's crying like a banshee in her room!"_

"_She's crying because you're shouting!"_

"_You're shouting too! You know, the kid takes her annoying voice from you. I'm surrounded by annoying shrews!"_

"_That's it… I'm leaving! Damn you to hell Squall Leonhart! I don't even need to damn you; your life is pretty much a hellhole as it is!"_

"_Leave already, you always say you're leaving but you sit here like a stupid pup!"_

"_Let me take my daughter, please! I'm begging you please!"_

"_Never."_

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

"Papa, it's raining. Do you think uncle Seifer is okay?"

"Well he's a big, grown-up man, beloved. Surely, he can take care of himself."

"Papa can't take care of himself though; I have to be here, right?"

Squall turned to smile lovingly at his daughter, "Yes lil one, if you're not here, Papa will die. So you should always be careful and stay strong no matter what, for Papa, okay?"

Marlene giggled happily and nodded. Her father was her prince charming. He always made her feel so loved and special. She will always take care and be strong to make her Papa proud. Her Papa was everything to her… He's the best Papa ever! Better than alllllllllll the Papas in the world!

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Seifer found he was about to get lost. It was dark now, the street lamps were the only thing illuminating his way. They cast dancing shadows on the pavement, almost spooking the blonde as he continued at a faster pace. The buildings were rather dark as well. Apartments, maybe? Some windows revealed life within, brightly shielded from the inside with colorful drapes, the light filtering out to add some life and light to the all but deserted street. A dog barked somewhere in a nearby garden; safely tucked behind a fence. The walkway was adorned more with shrubs and small plants rather than big trees. The wind still caused those leaves to dance to its melody. The sky was dark and the rain mocked him. He could smell it, feel the humidity, but the rain wasn't falling yet, only the wind continued to tease his skin.

'_Damn weather. Does it always rain in this stupid place? Dammit, where am I supposed to go now?! Homeless shelter?! Hell, even if I wanted to go there, which I don't, I don't know the way! Excellent… I'm a genius! I really should go on that show and win a million. Then I can start anew! Wonder if I was a womanizer. Hey, I still don't know I was married! Well, good thing I seem to not know anything, now I'm free again! See, Seifer, this thing with you has its benefits.'_

Seifer rolled his eyes in reaction to his own messy thoughts. This was crazy. Did he always talk to himself like that? Thunder clapped again in the sky as lightning flashed for a fraction of a second. His body grew weary and he was getting hungrier by the second. With an exasperated groan, the blonde turned around and began to backtrack.

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Squall woke up suddenly with a start. The electric clock across the room indicated it was an hour past midnight. The brunet sat up, wondering why on earth he had awakened. It was not his habit to have broken sleep. Suddenly he jumped off the bed, almost panicking as he bounded to Mary's room, gently yet swiftly sliding the door open. He tiptoed over to where his daughter lay sleeping on her side, holding the hand of her favorite doll in her small fist.

The brunet sighed in relief, leaning to pull the blankets higher to his daughter's chin, tucking her in warmly before leaving the room and softly shutting the door behind him. He was wide awake now, his steely grey eyes alert as he made his way to the kitchen for some water. It was a stormy night, lightning flashed outside just as he switched on the light, running a hand through his messy hair. The temperature was considerably low in the kitchen, causing a shiver to run down his bare spine as he filled a glass from the sink and began to gulp it down, simultaneously gazing out the kitchen window with a bored stare. Just then, the sight of his open gate caused his eyes to narrow with suspicion. He was sure he had shut the gate before calling it a night.

Once again, the brunet's instincts were on the alert as he pulled out a sharp kitchen knife and made his way to the door, unable to shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right. It could have been the strong wind that had pushed open the gate, but that was unlikely. His bare feet barely made any sound as he pressed closer to the door, trying to make out if anything was out of place in his back yard. However, besides the squeaky sound of the hinges on his daughter's swing being pushed by the wind, nothing out of the ordinary could be heard. Squall sighed and tried to calm his frayed nerves. He's lived in the splendor of this neighborhood for over five years, and not once did he have to worry about security.

'_Damn… I'm getting paranoid…'_

Just as he turned around to set the knife back in his place, lightning lit the sky and an audible string of obscenities followed. Squall gasped as he rushed to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open with astonishment etched on his delicate features.

"Yo."

Seifer grinned, raising a hand in greeting, a broad grin on his face, "Your expression is priceless, you know."

Squall smiled and shook his head, "Well well, will you look at what the rain washed in."

Seifer ran a hand through his hair and smiled, "Well… I needed to return your shorts… I still have them on."

Squall nodded, playing along, "Yea, they were a pair I was starting to miss since the minute you left."

Seifer nodded in understanding, "I thought so… so…. Gonna invite me in or what?"

Squall snorted and shifted to the side, allowing the blonde to walk in, soaked as the night he found him, and plop down on the ground so as to not mess up anything in the house.

"So…Why are you really here Seifer?"

Emerald eyes clouded as he turned to study the smaller man, "I… I'll tell you everything I know about me… it's not much…"

Squall's smile faltered slightly at the sight of vibrant green eyes stirred something deep within.

*FLASH BACK IN SQUALL'S HEAD*

"_You… you're not normal, you know! You're fucked up in your head!"_

"_Get lost, Rinoa. I'm not in the mood for you. And shut your child up. Her crying is jarring!"_

"_Get her yourself! Damn you rotten psycho!"_

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

Seifer nudged the brunet, "Hey man, what's wrong with you? Phasing out on me."

Squall snorted as he buried his memories behind for a second time that day, "Nothing, let's get you out of these wet clothes. Again."

Seifer nodded and curiously studied the brunet, "So…you do this often?"

"Do what? Adopt wet, homeless puppies?"

Seifer laughed, "Yea?"

Squall grinned and winked, tossing a towel to the blonde before leaving the kitchen to fetch some clothes for the blonde.


	5. The Beginning

Seifer sat across of Squall on his large bed. It was almost 3 a.m. and the night was growing quiet and still. The rain had grown lighter, now falling in an almost soothing drizzle. Occasionally a car would slowly cruise by, its headlights shining into the room, but other than that and the chirping of crickets, all was peaceful.

The room was illuminated by a bedside lamp, casting cozy shadows across the room. Squall was resting back against his pillow, still in his boxers, looking very comfortable and calm as he gazed intently at the blonde.

"Green suits you. Complements your eyes."

Seifer's eyes widened with interest, "Oh yea?"

Squall shrugged in hopes of seeming nonchalant. The blonde was in one of his oversized shirts, a green, cotton and very comfy shirt, along with a pair of black boxies.

The blonde smiled, "Thanks. I don't remember if anyone told me that before."

Suddenly he was overcome with the urge to laugh and maybe burst into hysterics. Reality was slowly creeping in on him and robbing him of his usually humorous outlook of life. He didn't remember a single thing that was important… and now he had to honestly make his generous host believe him and let him stay here for a while.

'_That is crazy. No, Seifer, YOU are crazy. You shouldn't have come back. You don't know a single damn thing and you're dragging strangers into your own problems. Ahh Shut up… What would you have me do? Knock on every door in this freakin place and go 'Hey, am I yours?' Makes no sense. This is the only way.'_

"What are you thinking?"

Seifer's eyes focused on Squall's almost angelic face, "Umm…well… You still want to know all about me right?"

Squall nodded almost encouragingly.

"Well… I have to be honest with you… I don't remember. I'm not sure what happened. I can't remember a single thing that took place all my life to the time you picked me up from wherever…"

The brunet raised a well rounded brow, "… That makes little sense."

"Yes, I know. Heaven knows that I know! But… it's the truth."

"You don't know who you are? What you did for a living?"

Seifer raised his hands in submission and exasperation, "Exactly, no idea. I lied and you caught me doing so anyway. Sorry, but I don't have anything to tell you…"

"You don't know where your home is? Who your family is?"

Seifer shook his head then smiled slightly, "Not even my age, BUT I know I'm young anyway, all that matters right?"

Squall snorted and suppressed a small smile before reaching to rub his temple, "You're awfully calm about this, you know. Like you're talking about the weather…"

Seifer sighed, "I think I must have suffered from uh... late response disorder."

The brunet shook his head, "What the hell's that?"

Seifer grinned, "You know, I don't think I'm really feeling the depth of the situation. You know, the calamity of it all is eluding me."

"You still sound like you're making fun, for goodness sake. Really, this is no laughing matter."

"As if I don't know that."

"Well apply your knowledge, you moron! Never been to school? You know, learn things, know stuff, apply it?"

"I must have failed… Damn! Maybe I was a dropout! Shit! You think I was that stupid?!" Seifer almost wailed in horror.

Squall grinned, his devilish smile indicating he did think the blonde was that stupid, and then some.

The blonde grunted in annoyance and waved his hand before turning to stare at his host, "Well…. What about you? What do you do for a living?"

Squall shrugged, "I'm an architect…"

"Wooo fancy! I bet I was fancy too!" Seifer chuckled and nodded for emphasis.

Squall snorted as he began to think deeply, "Well… There are ways to identify you… I mean I'm sure the cops can help? I mean if you were murdered, they should be able to identify you through fingerprints or something?"

Seifer looked dubious, "What? You want me to march in there and tell them this wacky story? Maybe even add some effects like 'the AC fell on my head' or something."

Squall frowned, "Well what do you suggest, smart ass?"

The blonde pouted, "Let's go to sleep. I'll think about it tomorrow."

The brunet sighed and nodded, "Make yourself comfy in the guestroom, if you need anything…. Please hesitate a million times before coming to me."

Emerald eyes sparkled with amusement, "You're a horrible host."

"You're a horrible guest."

Seifer laughed and got up, making his way out of the room, waving by the door before shutting it softly behind him.

Squall sighed, shifting to bury his face his fluffy pillow, his head clouded with crazy thoughts and all were centered around an obstinate blonde who was probably drifting to sleep now in the guest room.

*FLASH BACK IN SQUALL'S HEAD*

"_You will destroy this family! You will destroy your daughter! You're a psychopath! You're driving me out of my mind!"_

"_Then leave! Do I have to beg you to leave? You keep saying you found another; you know it doesn't matter at all to me! If you're so upset, goodbye!"_

"_I am not leaving, not without the house and my daughter."_

"_File a lawsuit and try winning the case, who knows, Rinny, you might just hit the jackpot! OR I KNOW! How about you fuck the judge? Now that's a jackpot right there!"_

"_Why are you keeping us prisoner here?!"_

"_I ……. ……I want a happy family too you know….."_

"_You heartless bastard…. You're obscene. Looking at you makes me sick. You're not going to get away with this, Squall. I will destroy you."_

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

Squall groaned at the direction his thoughts were headed. His body settled snugly into the mattress as he allowed himself to drift, his eyelids growing heavy as sleep slowly banished all the disturbing voices from his head.

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"Marlene, wake up darling, it's morning. Comon, lazy butt! You're gonna be late and the bus will leave you to chase after it as punishment."

Marlene giggled and pulled the blankets over her head, "If the bus leaves me, Papa will save me and take me to school in his cool car."

Squall grinned, his daughter has him wrapped around her pinky, "But darling, Papa is really busy. If I have to take you to school—"

"—Hey cutie! GOOD MORNING!" Seifer laughed from the doorway before reaching to pull the blankets off the bed and hand them to Squall.

Marlene squealed in delight and jumped up on the bed, "You came back!"

"Yea! Did you miss me?!" Seifer laughed and grabbed the little girl by the waist, pulling her off the bed before twirling her in the air.

"HEY PUT HER DOWN YOU MORON! SHE'S NOT A DUMMY! PUT HER DOWN BEFORE I KILL YOU!"

Squall was glaring at the blonde, his heart racing wildly as the blonde fairly tossed his little girl on the bed.

"Chill Papa, I'm strong!" Seifer mocked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You idiot! That's not the point! What are you doing awake so early?!"

"Papa!" Mary threw herself into her father's arms, "Please don't shout. Uncle Seifer was being nice. Don't be mean, papa. He didn't mean to make you angry."

Squall grit his teeth and heaved an annoyed sigh, carrying his daughter to the bathroom, "Comon dear, get ready for school. Hurry up while I prepare breakfast."

Marlene nodded and giggled as Seifer stood in the middle of the room, silently imitating Squall's expression with exaggerated facial expressions.

The brunet frowned and turned to see what had his daughter so amused, but Seifer just smiled politely and turned to leave, winking to Mary before walking out.

Squall stood to follow, shutting the door softly behind him.

"You sure are protective. A little more and you'd be obsessive. Oooh rhymes."

Squall glared at the blonde, "She's my only family, so I worry about her."

Seifer rolled his eyes, "Don't I even get a 'thank you' for waking her up for you?"

Grey eyes widened slightly, "Ahm…Thank you…"

Seifer laughed as the younger man seemed to squirm with embarrassment. Squall sighed and walked over to fry some eggs for his daughter, "Do you want breakfast?"

"Nope … but please do brew some of your deadly coffee."

Squall's face heated with an annoyed blush as he turned to glare once again at the blonde, "Are you always this unpleasant in the morning??"

Seifer grinned, "Are you always suffering from Anger Management Disorder in the morning?"

"That is totally made up!"

"No it's not! You also suffer from Never Believe Anything Disorder."

Squall let out an exasperated groan before completely ignoring the blonde, pretending to pay utmost attention to frying the eggs.

Marlene skipped into the kitchen a few minutes later, her grey eyes sparkling with love and joy as she took her seat, swinging her legs as she stared at Seifer.

"Uncle Seifer?"

"Yes cutie pie?"

"Are you gonna stay here forever?"

Squall tensed slightly as he set the plate in front of his daughter. Seifer's verdant eyes studied the elegant features of the younger man's face, smiling inwardly as Squall avoided his gaze.

"Well, cherub, I think your Papa here is gonna kick me out soon."

Marlene looked instantly worried, "Papa?"

Squall flashed an annoyed frown at the blonde before replying, "Yes dove?"

"Are you gonna kick Uncle Seifer out?"

"…No…"

"YAAAAY!!!!" Marlene squealed once again and set out to eat her breakfast, keeping up random, yet lively chatter between bites.

Sunlight filtered into the kitchen, casting its warm glow onto the glossy white tiles. The sweet smell of eggs and bacon filled the air as Marlene finished most of her plate. Squall set a mug of coffee in front of the blonde, a resigned look on his face. Seifer cupped the mug, warming his hands and senses as he exhaled deeply.

The bus honked outside, serving as a cue for Marlene to grab her bag and get up to go. Squall leaned and kissed her cheek, "Take care. Have a nice day, sweetie."

"Byeee Papa! Byyeeee Uncle Seifer!"

"Bye Bye kiddo!" Seifer waved enthusiastically as the door shut behind her.

Squall sipped coffee and stared at the blonde, his chest tightening slightly as he let his eyes rest upon the blonde's pouting lips for a second.

"I think I will go and look for myself, today."

Seifer's eyebrows burrowed in slight confusion at Squall's lack of response. For some reason, he was feeling a little subconscious as the man across from him continued to stare at what seemed to be his lips.

"Umm…Squall?"

Squall's eyes snapped higher to meet the blonde's gaze, "Uh yea…you… do that…"

"Is everything alright?"

Squall snorted, "Look who's asking. I would love to help but I have work to attend to… I'll be back late afternoon. Maybe you can use a map? Are you going to the cop station?"

Seifer frowned, "No…for some reason, I think there's another way to find out who I am. I don't know where the feeling is coming from, but… I think I'm onto something. I'll be back in the evening."

Squall raised a brow, "What are you going to do?"

Seifer thought for a minute then his expression brightened, "I'm going to follow my heart … and my Instincts."

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"These are his files. Honestly, Mister Irvine, why are you so obsessed with the man? He's completely out of the picture."

"You are being a fool if you think he will be put down this easily. I don't know what sort of stunt you and your division pulled, but Almasy will come for you. When he does, your lives will be over. You don't know his reputation. The man is deadly. Cold and lethal. I want him dead. Till his head is served as the main course of my dinner, I am not going to proceed with any transactions!"

"He will never find out. The files are in your hands. He will never find out who he is even if he tried. He's been erased from the surface of the earth. He has no relationships with anyone and his house was burned to the ground. I assure you, this time, he is completely out of the picture."

"I pray he won't make you throw up those words and stuff a bomb down your throat instead… he has done that before, if I am not mistaken."

"…You are not."


	6. A Glimpse of Yesterday

Yaaaay ^^ I am so happy about the responses to this story. it's making me excited to keep writing and putting my ideas down.

Thank you everyone.

And... i am excited about this chapter ^^ All the action is beginning.

Enjoy!

* * *

Seifer pressed against the wall, careful not to make a sound, his breathing completely inaudible as he strained his ears, hearing for any life form within the adjoining room. Security was tight, but for some reason, the blonde was finding no difficulty trespassing. It felt almost natural, like he's done this many times before it was hardly taking any effort. This was a government building. With the money Squall had given him, Seifer was able to get here without much trouble. The building was fifteen minutes away from his host's house, in an almost posh highway. The roads were busy with people driving to work and schools. However, inside the building was quiet. The walls were probably filled with vacuum, making the building completely sound-proof.

He knew a computer was in the adjacent room. Seifer wasn't sure how he knew, but his instincts have led him this far, and he wasn't about to turn back. His heart was beating at a calm rate, his senses completely not clouded by fear or nervousness.

'Wonder why this feels like it was a hobby… maybe I really am suffering from Late Response Disorder… not even registering that I'm breaking into a government building. Ordinary people don't get this far… Just what am I?'

Seifer pushed his thoughts aside as he snuck into the adjacent room, shutting and bolting the door behind him. He knew there was more than one door, and that there was an emergency exit at the end of a hallway if he used the third door leading into this room. He also knew he had only ten minutes. In ten minutes, a security guard will walk in to report for duty and will remain seated in this room for another four hours before he leaves for lunch. There would be another fifteen minutes before he returns with food in hand.

The room was dimly lit, a huge mainframe computer occupying the length of one wall with a gigantic keyboard controlling its system. Seifer sat on a chair, his fingertips expertly running along the keyboard, randomly pressing away, almost like a pianist who knew by heart which key stood for which note. The system was running within a minute and Seifer stared intensely at the monitor.

*System Search: Phase 1: Please Enter Name*

Seifer typed in his first name, the only part he remembered. A small frown adorned his face as a message popped up two minutes later in bright green.

*Search Complete: Total Persons Found: 29.*

'_Damn… I can't check them all….. There should be another way.'_

Almost as though controlled by an outer force, his fingers were once again working on the keyboard.

*System Search: Phase 2: Please Enter Fingerprints Scan*

Seifer let out an exhilarated gasp, his hand automatically moving to the scanner just two steps away. He placed his right hand firmly on the scanner and waited a minute as the computer processed his prints.

*Scanning Complete: Beginning Search: 10% Complete.*

The blonde glanced at his watch. Five minutes.

*34% Complete.*

Seifer's head grew lighter as he stared at the screen, the scent of the room mixed with the soft buzzing of the mainframe tugging at his brain, causing his senses to grow slightly faint. He closed his eyes as visions flashed behind his lids.

'_Kinneas and Trepe….'_

'_Divisions… Annihilation….'_

'…_Resignation…'_

'_..Betrayal…'_

'…_Working with an enemy…'_

Seifer almost collapsed had it not been for the beep of the system indicating that the search was over. The blonde snapped back to reality, the thoughts now buried for later analysis. Seifer's eyes widened, his breathing hitching in shock, as his sight settled on the result blinking in red.

*Search Complete: No Matches Found.*

The sound of steps. He had to get out of here. Now.

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His head was spinning with all his thoughts. Something was completely wrong. Seifer's heart thudded in his ears, his hands clenched into fists on his lap.

'_What is happening? It's impossible. It's like I never existed. That was not possible!'_

His instincts were raging, his chest tightening as his eyes glared at the ground. Everything was wrong about this situation.

'_Damn… I can understand an AC fell on my head and wiped my memory clean but…. Why is it that the government doesn't have any files on me? Everyone in Balamb is registered! …At least that's what I feel. What am I going to do now? If the government has no files on me… …something is very wrong about this picture Seifer… and what the hell is Kinneas and Trepe? Is it some organization? Who's the enemy? What's going on in my damn head?! WHO THE HELL WAS I?' _

The fluttering of doves beside him on the grass caught his attention. The sun was brightly shining, a few fluffy clouds drifting lazily about. There was a cool, gentle breeze, creating an almost soothing orchestra with the help of the trees and grass. It was lively. Seifer was sitting on a bench in a park close to the government building, under the shade of a huge oak tree. Vines grew along the bark, which was still sturdy and healthy, standing peacefully in the middle of the park, almost watching over. The blonde ran a hand through his short hair; his head was pounding badly. He had barely slipped out in time. The memories that had slapped him at that time almost knocked him out, but now they just hung harmlessly in his mind, taunting him with the information they could offer.

Seifer's eyes grew determined. He didn't know where this sense of persistence and strength of will came from; but he wasn't going to give up, not until he reached the end of this mystery he seemed shrouded in. He watched as some kids skipped about with their pets, parents sitting peacefully on some picnic blankets, enjoying the cool, calm weather and warm sunshine. There were a few dandelions adorning the grass, dancing to the warm breeze as it too contributed to the sweet music. The blonde was feeling steady now, his head no longer as light. Upon that discovery, Seifer stood up and made a move to leave. He was going to begin his search and something inside was starting to indicate the way and create a strategy. Whatever he was up against, Seifer was not going to lose to it. Even if it meant him spending the rest of his life chasing the random, incomplete memories that struck without warning.

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"Hey hotstuff, got a boyfriend?"

Squall glanced up from the book he was flipping through at the sound of the mocking voice. His steely eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts. This was a usual occurrence in the office he worked. His male coworkers were always on his case… Always meddling in his affairs.

"Hehe, princess lost his tongue. Wonder if his new paramour bit it off!"

Laughter sounded across the hall.

Squall didn't even blink, bending his head to resume his interest in the book in his hands.

"Hey, princess, I heard he's blonde too!"

"Yea! Dumb blonde is exactly the kinda guy right for you, cutie."

More Laughter.

"Poor little daughter of yours. I wonder how she feels growing with a father like that. Does she know the truth about her mother?"

"Haha, you kiddin man? I bet he lied and made Rinoa sound like the tormenter."

"Comon, don't be cruel guys, we've already been through this set of jokes."

"Yea, let's make up another."

"Hah! I got one, guys! Blondie might just rape the girl! That would be a good add to this princess's little drama!"

The laughter grew louder and more malicious.

Squall stood up, turning to leave but a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey cutie, we were just teasin ya. Are you turned on? Goin to do your thing?"

The brunet shrugged off the hand and walked out the office, his eyes clouding with suppressed rage as he swiftly made his way out, pulling his keys from his pocket and getting into his suave black Mercedes, stepping on the gas, not caring at the squealing sound the tires made as he sped away from his workplace.

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Squall barged in through the back door, walking into the kitchen with brisk, angry steps as he tugged on his tie, loosening it from around his neck. Seifer poked his head from the living room, a confused expression on his face.

"Hey there. Thought you weren't gonna be back till late afternoon?"

Squall stopped dead in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat as his gaze met Seifer's across the short corridoor.

"Um… Yea, the boss gave us all early leave today. His birthday."

Seifer smiled in understanding, apparently accepting the lie as truth. Without another word, he went back to whatever he was doing, disappearing again into the living room. Squall raised a curious brow, walking up behind the blonde.

"What are you looking for now?"

The blonde shrugged, "Ah… does the … ummm… Kinneas and Trepe. Do these two names or whatever it is, ring a bell?"

Squall's well rounded brows arched in deep thought, "Hmmm no, I don't believe I ever heard something like it before. What is it? A factory name?"

Seifer shrugged and frowned in thought, "I'm looking through the directory… There's nothing…"

"Hmmm… let's search online? Maybe something will come up?"

"I doubt it… But let's try anyway…."

"Why are you looking for that anyway? Related to your past?"

Seifer fell silent and Squall turned to study the blonde's troubled expression.

"Did something happen?"

"No… just a random thing I am looking for." Seifer feigned a bright smile, bending over the chair and Squall's shoulder as the younger man began the search on his laptop.

Squall's breathing became slightly shallow, "You took a shower?"

Seifer looked slightly confused, "Uh, yea… Hope it's alright?"

"Uh, yea of course." Grey eyes clouded, Squall's head filling with images as Seifer's clean yet manly scent flooded the brunet's nostrils.

Emerald eyes were concentrating on the laptop monitor, trying to find anything relating to the names…or name.

"I don't … There's nothing! That is so… I don't know anything anymore!"

Squall struggled to concentrate; he was already imagining the blonde's touch in his head, seeing himself melting to the bigger man's strong chest, his hands clinging to those broad shoulders. He pictured those powerful arms gently curling around his hips, drawing him closer, and intense grassy eyes mesmerizing him with a tender, passion-filled stare. The soft buzz of the laptop mixed with the warm breeze coming through the window helped to lull and cloud Squall's senses.

"What now?! It's not like my memories are helping! Just fuckin making me faint! I'm like a pregnant woman!"

Squall's gaze regained focus as he turned to stare at the blonde from over his shoulder, "What memories?"

Seifer frowned and leaned close, suddenly shutting his eyes and resting his forehead against Squall's, "I don't know man… I think they're memories; just stupid flashes of something or the other that suddenly appear out of nowhere. My head gets all light and I feel like I'm falling into nothingness for a while…"

The blonde hadn't noticed that Squall was not breathing much anymore. Grey eyes seemed lost in bittersweet torment as the older man continued to breathe softly against the brunet's pouted lips. Squall's senses were tingling, his head almost swooning as his body was almost growing heated. He shifted, bringing a hand up, intending to curl it to Seifer's elegant cheek.

"Papa!!! I'm home! How come you're home papa?! I saw your car outside!"

Marlene's cheerful, chirpy voice sounded from the kitchen, causing Squall to snap back to reality, quickly pulling his hand back before the blonde noticed. His face heated with an annoyed blush as Seifer stood up, turning to greet Marlene with a happy grin.

Marlene skipped into the living room, smiling happily as he hugged the blonde, who picked her up in his arms, "How was school, kiddo?"

The brunet was thankful for the moment of privacy he had, attempting to calm his nerves and heart. Squall turned to the laptop, pretending to take the time to turn it off. His hand was shaking slightly and he reached to unbutton the first few buttons of his formal, light blue shirt.

"My teacher got angry cuz I was in a hurry to leave! She said I don't like her. But it's not true. I wanna come home and see Uncle Seifer. When I told her, she asked me who Uncle Seifer was! Then I told her that Papa saved you."

Squall gasped and attempted to suppress an embarrassed groan. He was sure the teacher was going to contact him soon to know what's really going on.

Seifer laughed, enjoying Squall's discomfort, "Yea? Next time add in that I'm helping Papa wake you up! I'm a prince too!"

Marlene laughed happily, "The teacher will tell Papa to make me sleep earlier if I told her I don't like to wake up in the morning! I tell her that I love her because she looks sad if my face looks like I don't want to go to school! I don't want her to cry!"

Seifer gasped in exaggeration and nodded, "My, you're a sweet child, aren't ya! Of course we don't want Teacher to cry! What will the other children think if she starts crying?!"

Squall sighed and got up, pulling his daughter out of Seifer's arms, "The students will try to comfort the teacher and tell her there is no need to cry and that Mary is a good girl who liked going to school."

Seifer's green eyes widened in confusion at Squall's annoyed, clipped attitude but decided to say nothing as Mary began her happy recollection of what had happened throughout her day in her classes.

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"Hello?"

"This is Irvine speaking."

"Ah, what a surprise to hear from you. You do realize it is rather unsafe to call me at work…"

"We have a problem."

"We can talk about it another time…"

"No, Miss Trepe. We will talk about it now! Internal Affairs just called me. You puppet is already onto something!"

"Wha…? That is impossible. Maybe he went there for a new passport!"

"Without an identity? The government will have him behind bars! And you haven't heard the best part yet!"

"…What is it?..."

"He broke in! He broke in and slipped out unnoticed! Undetected! Unseen!"

"I … I will have his head served to you for your main dish within the week."

*Toot. Toot. Toot.*

(Phone disconnected)


	7. Hint of a Trail

Seifer sat in the guestroom, a notepad in his left, pen in his right. The sun was descending across the sky now, journeying to a point probably underneath the earth, indicating that it was quickly becoming the evening. A lamp was turned on beside the bed as Seifer sat cross-legged on the mattress. The bed was unmade, the blonde too busy and occupied to bother with that small detail. The window was shut, the AC running instead, cooling the room temperature to well below 20 degrees Celsius.

The blonde scribbled a few words onto the first page, putting them down in bullet points:

_1) Undercover (Spy? I spied on someone who betrayed me? NO! someone spied on me? I cheated on my wife! …Who said I was married?!)_

_2) Kinneas and Trepe (company? Married couple? Umm…law firm? My in-laws?)_

_3) Betrayal? (what the hell's that? My friend betrayed me? Wife cheated on me? I cheated on my in-laws? )_

_4) Working with the enemy (What the hell is this? Batman? Superman? Freakshow?)_

The list consisted of the words that haunted whatever memory he seemed to have recovered. He wasn't sure what anything meant. Completely random words, they were to him.

'I should be more serious. Maybe I shouldn't involve Squall. If the government doesn't have my file then something is totally wrong. What if I am jeopardizing this family by being here? Damn what if I'm a convict of something? Or maybe part of a mob? What if I'm an illegal immigrant! I need to keep searching… but who can help me with the information I need? I need more memories to work with…'

He sighed and fell back upon his pillows. He was tired, very much so and he wanted to be around Squall again. Something about the way the brunet looked at him made his blood boil. He didn't really understand what was going on, then again it's only been a few days and they've both been too worried to understand anything. However, the brunet was pleasant and comforting to be around, and comforting is exactly what Seifer needed lately. Besides, that little Marlene was nothing short of a delight.

Sighing softly once again, the blonde crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling, trying to relax and think about his course of action. He could hear Squall outside, helping his daughter with her homework in the kitchen. It seemed the brunet preferred the kitchen to the living room. A soft yawn escaped the blonde's lips as the sound of Marlene's giggles and Squall's encouraging voice caused a content smile to adorn his face. He was starting to like this place.

'Maybe I shouldn't bother searching to my old self? Maybe I can get a job somewhere… Stay here with Squall and Mary… I probably can even rent this room if I have to.'

A soft knock sounded at the door before Squall let himself in, "Dinner is…."

The brunet trailed off at the sight of the blonde snoring away softly as he lay atop the snug mattress. It was already well into the evening, the sky dark yet starless as clouds once again completely blanketed the sky. Crickets were chirping outside in the yard and occasionally a dog would bark, probably at a passerby or some smaller animal. Although it was still cool and windy outside, the weather was more pleasant that naught, the overcast sky seeming harmless as the clock ticked away.

The lone lamp in the guestroom cast a warm glow, adding further allure to the blonde's tanned skin as he lay with his hands crossed behind his head, his breathing deep and even as he seemed lost in untroubled sleep. Seifer looked almost angelic, his face soft yet expressionless, his long lashes almost golden in the light. Squall sighed and walked closer to tuck the blonde in, noticing the notepad resting by the blonde's side, seeming to fight to stay on the bed as it dangled precariously over the edge. Grey eyes widened with interest and curiosity as he made a move to take hold of the notepad, but in a matter of seconds his vision blurred and pain shot through his arm, a small, surprised cry escaping his lips.

Seifer had the smaller man pinned on his lap, one hand fisted in Squall's soft, brown locks, pushing him down onto the mattress, the other gripping the brunet's wrist, twisting and pinning it to his back. Emerald eyes were wary and alert as he acted on pure instincts, holding onto the struggling brunet with sheer strength.

"Let go! When did you wake up! Let go! You're hurting me!"

The blonde gasped as the voice registered on him, releasing the brunet just as fast as he had pinned him. Squall glared at Seifer, shifting to sit up, his legs still resting over the blonde's lap.

"What the hell are you doing?! Are you crazy? What was that stunt?! You watch a lot of cop movies or something?!"

Seifer blushed in embarrassment, "I… Sorry…"

The brunet rubbed along his aching shoulder, his head still spinning as he tried to relax.

Seifer frowned, "Well what about you, huh? You usually tip-toe into people's rooms like a crook?!"

"I wasn't tip-toeing, you jerk! I was about to call you for dinner but found you sleeping so…"

"So what? You come to get a closer look and make sure I wasn't faking it?"

"Oh that is ridiculous! You're mad at me now? You're not the one who was tossed around like a bag of feed!"

"Hah! You're the one who snuck in like a fox!"

"I—"

"Papa?" Marlene poked her head into the room, her eyes glistening with worry.

Squall's head snapped to face his daughter, attempting to cool his anger as he pushed away from the obstinate blonde, getting up and brushing past his daughter as he walked out of the room without a backward glance. Mary remained, her hand on the door knob, his eyes wide in surprise as the blonde seemed like he was about to fall out of the bed. Seifer's eyes were closed, his head thrown back as his breathing hitched.

'_Time for the meddling fox to cower in his hole…'_

'_Remember to remember holding a grudge when you can remember no more.'_

There were no images to back the words up. Just the complete, familiar blackness behind his tightly shut eyelids. The words seemed like an echo of something greater.

"Uncle Seifer?"

Marlene touched her small, cool hand to the blonde's wet cheek.

"Uncle Seifer? Don't cry… Papa didn't mean to be angry…"

Verdant eyes snapped open in surprise, the faintness slipping away as the blonde regained conscious thinking. He was feeling slightly disoriented, his head pounding as his breathing returned to normal.

"Wha…?"

He reached to grasp the little ivory hand in his larger, warmer one. He didn't know he was crying… He wasn't consciously doing it and that was almost shattering to the blonde.

"I'm not mad at your papa, he's a good man. I just like to play shouting games with him. To see who's louder and cooler."

Marlene giggled at this odd explanation, "Papa says shouting is not good."

"Papa likes to shout, but don't tell him I told you, okay? It's our little secret."

Marlene giggled and nodded, "Shhhh."

"Yep." Seifer smiled halfheartedly and winked, "Now, run along for dinner. I'll join you in a few minutes."

"Okay!" Marlene pulled her hand out of the blonde's and skipped merrily out of the room, forgetting to shut the door behind her as he went to relay the good news to her papa that Seifer was gonna join them for dinner.

Seifer turned to pick up his notepad which had fallen to the ground. With a sad sigh, confused sigh, he added two more points:

_5) Meddling fox cowering in his hole (analogy?)_

_6) Remember when you can remember no more (umm... poet's lines? An order? Mocking quote?)_

'_Oh well, guess that's all I can do for tonight…'_

With that thought, the blonde slipped the pad beneath his pillow and walked out, making it to the kitchen just as Squall was setting the food on the table.

The brunet didn't even look up as Seifer walked in, pretending to pay close attention to everything but his presence, including the orientation of the cutleries.

Marlene smiled broadly as the blonde walked in, "Yaaay spaghettiiii! Uncle Seifer, do you like spaghetti? Papa makes yummy spaghetti!"

Seifer smiled, "Ooooh really? Wow I can't wait to eat it! I'll even race you! Bet I will finish my plate!"

The little child squealed, "NO! I will finish all my plate too! I always win!"

Squall silently sat down across from the blonde, beside his daughter who had begun munching down her food.

"Um… I'm sorry."

Grey eyes fluttered to Seifer's face at the sincere sound of the blonde's husky voice.

"Are you gonna stay mad for long? I didn't mean to umm… do whatever it is I did."

Squall couldn't help rolling his eyes and a devilish smile adorned his face as he continued to add more and more helpings of spaghetti onto the blonde's plate, "Let's see you try winning now, mojo!"

Seifer gasped and Marlene laughed boisterously, "Papa!"

"This is too much! You're such an evil man! And what the hell is 'mojo'??"

Squall grinned and Marlene chimed in, "It's a made-up word!"

"What does it mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything!" Mary laughed and turned to wink at her father, who smiled and patted her head endearingly.

Seifer groaned halfheartedly, suppressing his own bout of giggles as he made a move to finish his food, "I'm gonna win, you mojoes! Just wait and see!"

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It was well into the night as Seifer crept along the deserted park, his eyes carefully sweeping and scanning the area for any signs of danger as he made his way down the familiar terrain. He was here this morning, and he was here again. Governmental buildings were tightly secure at night, but the blonde knew his way in. How he knew still eluded him, and he couldn't care any less at the moment.

He needed to be sure about himself. To make sure his file really wasn't there, one more time. Also an idea had presented itself while he was helping Squall with the dishes. The thought that had seemed pretty interesting and practical was trying to search for the names 'Kinneas and Trepe'. Something about the name, or names, just struck a chord somewhere within the blonde. He felt that cracking the mystery around those names, or name, would initiate the unraveling of his forgotten past and jumbled memories.

The stars were actually observable tonight, the clouds having moved on to drench another city or region. There was still a cool breeze to ruffle the trees, and it was sending a small chill down the blonde's spine. However, other than the sweet sounds of nature, the night was still. It was almost like time was frozen. The blonde knew that no one would be in the big computer room with the mainframe at this time of the night. In fact the whole building would be deserted except for some hallways where security would pass twice during the whole night shift. Seifer glanced at his wristwatch.

Squall had been genuinely worried and curious when the blonde had expressed his wishes to go out for the night. It seemed to him the brunet was really protective by nature. And he worried a lot. And he asked a lot of questions. Yet Seifer was so touched someone seemed to care about him to really get bothered by the younger man's behavior. Still, the blonde wanted to keep his findings all a secret till he knew the kind of information he was dealing with and the dangers associated with all of it. No matter what, he didn't want to risk destroying Squall's loving family and home.

The watch read: 11-37 p.m.

The security would have passed for the first time already. The trick was to get over the wall without alerting the watchdogs he knew where also part of the patrol team. Seifer made his way to the wall, impressing himself with his ability to so silently move. It was almost like he was one with the dark. Almost. The blonde felt a pair of eyes trained on him, his instincts begging him to turn around. Sighing and running a hand through his blonde hair and turned around to indulge his wary senses. And his instincts were once again very correct. For now there stood another figure, watching Seifer with a small smile on his face.

Seifer almost gasped in surprise. He hadn't heard the other man appear, hadn't sensed the other man's presence, but it was unmistakable that the stranger was watching him with penetrating eyes, almost like staring at the blonde was going to answer a few of the world's desperate questions. Seifer's first impulse was to tackle the guy and beat the crap out of him for spying, but that was hardly rational and rather highly suspicious. Besides the fact that all the commotion would alert the security guards and dogs.

'_Holy crap…speaking of the dogs. They hadn't sensed this guy either. He's just as good as me. Who is this guy?!'_

Dark, verdant eyes stared back as the blonde considered alternatives. The man was almost smiling now as he crept closer, his dark brown eyes almost black in the night. The man had long black hair tied in a ponytail behind his head. He seemed like a normal guy, dressed in a blue shirt and black jeans, but nothing else was normal about this guy. His hands were in his pockets as he stopped a few feet in front of Seifer, lips curving further into a bigger smile.

"Nice night, eh?"

The dogs started barking at the gentle sound of the stranger's voice.

Seifer grit his teeth and took an ominous step forward, "Who are you?"

"My, my… are you always so rude to strangers?"

The blonde's eyes flashed with anger as he remained silent in hopes of frightening the man, but the man didn't seem bothered at all, continuing with a lazy drawl.

"You know, it's illegal to creep around the walls this late at night."

The dogs' barking grew louder as they traced the sound to come from the side of the wall they were standing close to. In a few minutes, the security guards were going to come out to ask a few questions, maybe even request for IDs… the blonde couldn't afford to get himself into a mess.

"What's wrong? Did you accidentally bite your tongue just now?"

Seifer growled, "Who are you?"

"You sure sound like a parrot now, repeating the same question over and over."

"You—"

"HOLD IT RIGHT OF YOU. DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE!"

Seifer turned as three security guards and a huge snapping guard dog, hurried towards them. The stranger took a step forward and with what seemed to be an innocently worried expression and relaxed posture, confronted the guards.

"My, oh, my. Whatever is the matter sirs? Are we standing on a ground mine?"

Seifer made sure his face was expressionless, though the stranger sure was amusing with all his feigned innocence.

"You are standing close to government property in the middle of the night. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The stranger smiled slightly and shifted to curl an arm around the blonde's shoulders, leaning into him in a way that almost seemed intimate, "Well, I'm Roger and this cutie here is Brad. Not Brad Pitt though. They're both blonde but trust me, there's a difference."

The guards seemed a little taken aback by the open display of affection, "What are you doing here?"

Roger, if that was even his real name, shrugged slightly and turned to nuzzle his nose along the blonde's ear, "What were we doing here Brad?"

A shiver traveled down the blonde's spine, "uh…"

Roger chuckled and turned to the guards, "Sorry, I think I accidentally bit his tongue."

The guards blushed in embarrassment. They sure were too young and inexperienced to be in this line of work.

"Okay… Please leave this area and go home."

Roger nodded and with his arm, gently yet firmly maneuvered the blonde away from the building and towards the nearby park. When they were both out of eye and earshot of the guards, Seifer pushed the man away.

"Who do you think you are?"

"Don't be so angry. I will tell you though, handsome, it's futile. Don't search for yourself, you'll end up nowhere. Nowhere is a pretty scary, lonely place."

"How do you know?!" Seifer cried, his heart skipping a beat. Was this man a link to his past?

"I cannot tell you anything. You're a smart guy, always was, you'll find yourself soon…I wonder if you will soon enough."

"What the fuck do you mean?!" Seifer reached out to grab the guy's collar but he just moved out of the way and waved off the blonde's anger and frustration.

"Things are going to get crazy now, cutie. But… For old time's sake… I actually owe you. No time to explain why now, but I'll repay my debt with this: Laguna… I'm Laguna Loire. Find me and you will soon enough find yourself."

"Find you? Find you how? Chase you?"

Laguna chuckled, "No, silly. You were here today, come again tomorrow. As for now, I have to take my leave. Please don't try to stop me. There is nothing more I can say."

"Wait!" Seifer jogged to catch up as Laguna turned and swiftly started walking away. "I want more information!"

"Go home, blondie. Sleep. Tomorrow will come with its revelations. Don't hurry it. Half the fun is getting there!" With that, Laguna almost disappeared, jumping onto the nearest sturdy branch and leaving Seifer to his thoughts. Little did the blonde know that after that moment… he was never truly alone. The dark eyes kept watch from the hidden distance, flashing with both envy and wild delight as chaos and madness replaced the serenity that was once Squall's home and Seifer's haven.

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"We have found him, Mister Irivine."

"Ah, excellent."

"These are copies of some of the details regarding the family he is staying with."

"Is that so?" There was a long pause and the sound of flipping papers. "Well, well. Squall Leonhart. He seems interesting enough. Nice to know he was once a customer of ours."

"Well, now all we have to do is kill Almasy and everything falls into place."

"Not so fast. Let's play a game, shall we? Almasy deserves a worse fate than death, and funny how Lady Luck has placed him in the most suitable hands."

"What do you mean?"

"Leonhart and Almasy. Sounds good to me. Let's see how much we can bond those two before I make that bastard regret the day he was born."

"..But he has a daughter! The family has nothing to do with us."

"Oh, you are wrong, Miss Trepe. Right now, this family has everything to do with us. I have vowed to do whatever it takes to break that bastard, and here, Lady Luck has given me the chance. Almasy will fall."

* * *

Yaaaaaaay! finally done with this chapter. hehehe i like it :P Sorry took a while cuz... got alot of assignments and work to do and it's nearing the end of the semester so i'm kinda busy.

Oh well ^^ hope you all enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

Till next time ^^


	8. Budding Connections

Well, it was obvious. Laguna Loire. What was asked of the blonde was to search up that man's name and find information about him. That information, supposedly, was going to help reveal Seifer's identity and maybe revive his memories.

Confusion was etched in the worried lines on the blonde's face as he slowly swung the back door leading to Squall's cozy kitchen open. It was dark as Seifer gently shut and locked the door behind him, making his way to his own room without the aid of any light. It was well past two in the morning and the house was completely drowned in silence. Even the crickets outside weren't chirping so much either and the wind had died down over an hour ago. The blonde could hear himself breathing as he stepped into his own room and shut the door softly behind him. He was exhausted, mentally and physically so.

He stripped to his boxers and slipped beneath the blankets, shifting to rest on his side as he stared at the facing wall, not particularly seeing anything.

'Tomorrow… I'll find out what's really happening… I'll find out who the strange Loire is… I'll find out what my purpose in life was…'

Seifer sighed, closing his tired eyes as he took deep breaths. It was warm and cozy beneath the blankets and the blonde could feel himself drifting. The events of the day had caught up with him and in a few minutes, he was sound asleep.

Both Squall and Marlene were not home when Seifer finally woke up.

It was a little past noon and the sun was high in the sky. The room was cold, thanks to the AC and Seifer reached for the remote to turn it off. He sat up, swinging his legs over the bedside, his feet touching the cool tiled floor. He stretched his long, muscled arms and yawned, still groggy from sleep. Suddenly the memories of last night hit a nerve and he quickly got up to get dressed and freshen up. His chest was constricted as he pondered the outcome of his search.

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Marlene giggled and raced one of her classmates across the grassy playground. It was recess now; a half hour of fun, eating, and talking for the elementary students of Balamb Elementary School. It was a warm day and the sun was shining brightly in the blue sky.

Laguna smiled as he watched the little grey eyed brunette win the race and jump up and down in delight. There were two teachers supervising the playground. One sat on the top of a staircase leading into the building while the other giggled merrily with some children, gently pushing a swing a child was seated upon. But he didn't care about all that, the little jubilant child was all that mattered to him. He had orders not to hurt her, and he wasn't going to, at least not yet. He just wanted to talk to her. To disturb her.

Marlene looked his way, as if sensing he was staring at her, and Laguna waved amicably. The girl flashed a friendly smile and waved back. Before she could turn away, he motioned for her to come to him. He was standing behind a metallic fence, one similar to the steel frame they put around basketball courts so the ball won't hurt anyone who was watching from outside the court or just passing by.

Marlene looked curious and confused, but she made her way to the dark haired stranger, despite the fact that her father had told her to stay away from strangers no matter what. But she was in school, and the man can't get her standing behind the frame, he could barely put more than a finger in.

"Hey, kid. Having a nice time in school?"

Marlene smiled and nodded.

"Have you been a naughty girl lately?"

Marlene's eyes grew wide, "No. I'm always a good girl. I wanna make Papa proud!"

"Wow, aren't you the little treasure. Will you tell Papa something for me?"

Marlene cocked her head to the side in wonder.

"Tell Papa to take better care of his pet, okay?"

"But we don't have pets. Papa says they make the house dirty and it's hard to take care of them."

Laguna laughed and one of the teachers was quickly making her way to them.

"Well, gotta go, cutie. See you later."

Laguna walked off just as the teacher grabbed Marlene's hand, "Who was that man, Mary?"

"I don't know, Miss Raymond."

The teacher frowned and turned to the empty space where Laguna had been standing a few moments ago.

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Seifer shut the door of Squall's house and made his way to the street, his eyes determined as he quickened his pace.

"Hey, mister?"

Seifer turned in annoyance to find a man, probably mid-forties, smiling at him. He had a cowboy hat on, shading his sky blue eyes from the sunlight. Golden brown hair swung smoothly down in neat tresses, the front framing his face, ending by his chin, while the back was tied in a low ponytail, ending halfway along his back.

The blonde's eyes narrowed, something about the man was very familiar… something inside him was screaming but he had no idea why.

The man smiled broadly, "I was just wondering, you stay here right?"

"Yes." The blonde replied curtly.

"With that cutie, Leonhart?"

The blonde's chin rose in annoyed defiance, "What's it to you?"

"I was wondering… Do you two… you know…." The man's eyes danced with amused mirth.

"What?" Seifer frowned in frustrated confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh common… don't tell me you don't know…"

"Listen, sir. I have no time for this. If you have something to say, just say it. I'm busy."

The man pushed away from the fence he was leaning on and slowly made his way towards Seifer, grinning, "Squall Leonhart is actually gay."

Seifer raised an eyebrow. The stranger completely had his attention now.

"What?"

"Hmm…. I don't think it's important. I just thought maybe you're his lover or something. You seem new in the neighborhood."

Seifer frowned slightly, "You're a friend of Squall's?"

"Friend? Not exactly. We haven't spoken in ages. Him and I actually go waaaay back, you know. Real intimate buddies."

"You're his ex or something?"

The stranger laughed, "Nope. By buddies I mean more of druggie buddie." Those blue eyes sparkled with an unexplainable feeling. Malice?

"What do you mean?" Seifer wasn't liking where the conversation was heading. He was getting confused and irritated.

"Well, I guess he hasn't told you anything. Doesn't matter anyway. Guess I'll take my leave now and you can go back to whatever it was you were doing."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Seifer growled and reached to grab the stranger's arm.

"Let go, cutie. If you want answers, ask Squall. This is his personal life; I'm not going to say anymore." The man smirked almost rudely and shrugged away, walking off and leaving the blonde to stare dumbly behind.

He was still standing, lost in thought, when the school bus stopped in front of Squall's house and little Marlene skipped out, turning to wave at him.

"Uncle Seifer!"

The blonde snapped out of his stupor and forced a smile, "Hey, sweetie… how are you?"

"A weird man talked to me in school today, Uncle Seifer. My teacher got angry because I talked to a stranger."

"Oh?" Seifer frowned slightly, "Didn't Papa tell you never to talk to strangers?"

Marlene looked contrite as she sulked in front of him, "I thought he was nice…"

The blonde ran a hand through his hair, "Comon, let's talk inside, cutie."

He moved forward, held her hand and led her inside, the kitchen. He pulled open the fridge and looked for some left-over macaroni. "Hungry, kid?"

Marlene smiled, "Yea! Papa is not coming back for another two hours! But he will bring food with him, I think. Papa doesn't cook a lot of things."

"I see… SO…" Seifer set a plate of spaghetti in front of Marlene, smiling as she washed her hands in the sink before slipping into her chair. "What did the man say?"

"He wasn't really nice. I got a little scared but the teacher came to make him go away."

"…Why did he scare you?" The blonde was getting worried. "How did he look like?"

"He had long black hair tied at the back… and he had mean eyes. They are brown, like my teacher's eyes, but my teacher's eyes are nicer."

Seifer's blood ran cold, "What did he say?" He tried to sound bored and unalarmed.

"I don't know. He was weird! He said 'tell Papa to take care of his pet' but… I told him we don't have pets cuz Papa thinks the house will be dirty. He laughed and left when my teacher came." Marlene pouted, looking adorably confused.

Seifer stood up and began to pace, making Marlene more agitated and sorry that she was about to cry, "I'm sorry, Uncle Seifer! I won't talk to strangers again!"

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck, turning to face the little girl, "No, no, it's okay. I mean, it's not okay to talk to strangers, but it's okay. I mean…you don't have to be sad…. Everything is alright."

Marlene sulked in her chair, poking at the spaghetti.

"Don't play with your food, kiddo. Common, eat up so you can grow up fast."

Marlene eyed him for a good, long minute then turned to eat up her food. Seifer sighed and stared out the window. Something was very odd. He needed to get down to the reality of his past before things really got out of hand. Laguna was definitely the man Marlene spoke to.

'_Tell Papa to take better care of his pet' _Seifer'shead was starting to ache with all the tension_. 'What the hell did Laguna mean? Did the pet mean me? Was it Marlene? Damn it all! What the fuck is going on?'_

The blonde sighed harshly. He wanted to go to the gov center to find out who Laguna was, but at the same time he was so worried about Marlene and he didn't want to leave her alone.

"Uncle Seifer?" Marlene said softly.

Seifer turned around, breaking free of his rampant thoughts and came to realize he had been staring out the window longer than he thought. Marlene had already finished her food and cleared up the table. Instead now, the table was littered with her notebooks and books of various sizes and colors.

"What is it, kid?" Seifer replied gruffly.

"I don't know how to solve this question. Would you help me?" Marlene pointed to her math notebook, where the teacher had written a few addition and subtraction questions for the children to answer.

"Well, let's see what we've got here." Seifer smiled, shifting to sit beside the little brunette, the aching in his head fading slightly as the little girl began talking about everything but the math question she wanted solved.

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Squall parked his car in the garage and walked up to the back door, his hand resting on the knob as he heard the blonde's loud, booming laughter. A small smile tugged on the brunet's lips as his little daughter's merry laughter followed suit.

When things grew a tad more quiet, Squall let himself in. "Hey, I'm home."

"Papa!" Mary squealed, jumping off the chair to leap into her father's arms.

Squall chuckled and caught her, holding her in a tight hug, his grey eyes sparkling with love and devotion as he fell quiet, listening to Mary telling on Seifer and the jokes they just shared.

The blonde was staring intently at the younger man, suddenly remembering the words of the stranger in the early afternoon, about Squall's sexuality. Seifer's eyes widened slightly as he connected the dots. He could see in his head, visions of the way the brunet sometimes gazed at him, the way his breathing turned almost ragged, the way the brunet would blush around him for no real reason.

'…_It's true…'_

"…And Uncle Seifer said that if a boy bothers me in class I should spill my juice on his pants!" Marlene was laughing at her father's horrified expression.

"Hey! That's not what you're supposed to teach children! Are you so thick?!" Squall was glaring at him.

"Uh…oh… sorry…" Seifer cleared his throat and turned to stand. "I need to go somewhere."

"Where?" Squall stepped back unconsciously, blocking the door.

The blonde shrugged, "Good question, now's not the time to go out. I changed my mind."

Grey eyes looked confused as Squall stared at the blonde, "Everything ok?"

"Uh…. Actually… We need to talk…" Verdant eyes rested meaningfully on Marlene's small frame and she suddenly wiggled down, out of her father's grasp.

Squall frowned in confusion, "What?"

"I said sorry! I said I wasn't gonna do it again! Why are you telling?!" Marlene was glaring cutely at the blonde.

"Why you little brat! Look at your tiny size and you're yellin at me? Papa has to know!" Seifer grinned and patted her head. "Don't worry, if he gets angry, we'll run to his room and lock him out, ok?"

Marlene pouted and sat on the kitchen chair as Squall loosened his tie, "So… What's up?" He had watched the odd exchange patiently and was waiting now for answers.

"Marlene talked to a stranger… a scary one. Maybe you should have someone look after her more carefully when you're not around."

Squall gasped and almost shouted, "What? What happened?! Mary, Baby, what happened?"

"Calm down!" Seifer shouted back.

Mary started wailing, crying apologies in the air.

Squall grit his teeth and took a calming breath, averting his gaze from the glaring blonde, who was looking sexy being all angry anyway.

Seifer rolled his eyes and continued, "Sheesh... it's like I told him his daughter was planning the next bombing on Mars or something… well she just saw this weird man in school today who told her "Tell Papa to take better care of his pet.' A very weird, vague statement… but I don't think the whole meeting should be overlooked… I mean… she comes home to no one here everyday and… well… you might want to worry a little bit."

"Well I am worried now. What do you want me to do? Hire a nanny? Mary hates nannies."

Marlene had stopped crying, and now was staring at her lap. Seifer sighed, raising his hand to rub his forehead, "I need painkillers."

Squall reached for the medicine cabinet and pulled out some Panadol, "Are you ok?"

"Yea, head just aches. Too much happening today…"

"Oh?"

Seifer's eyes turned a deeper shade as they caught and held Squall's grey ones, "And there is something else we need to talk about… But that's for later…"

Squall nodded, a small shiver running down his spine as he turned to his daughter, "Love, don't talk to strangers anymore, ok?"

Mary nodded, still looking glum.

"I'll call the school and let them keep a better eye on their students." Squall added as he fondly patted his daughters head, ruffling her hair.

Seifer nodded, feeling slightly satisfied and less worried. He was studying the brunet's every action, noticing things about him that he hadn't really paid attention to: the way Squall's hair swayed softly with his movements, resting on his shoulders when he was still; the way his eyes sparkled when he was really happy and really angry in almost the same vibrant manner; the way he lithely moved around, making the whole act of motion look more like a work of art.

Squall turned to the blonde, "Well, what have you been up to? You come home late, wake up late… What are you up to?"

Seifer shrugged, "Nothing really, still chasing fragments of memories. Nothing yet, though."

Squall sighed and nodded in understanding, "Well, if you need any help, just let me know."

The blonde smiled, "You bet I will…"

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"What are your plans, Mister Irvine?! He could have recognized you! Or worse, suspected you!"

"Oh, please, Miss Trepe. I know what I'm doing. I'm just adding some fuel to the small flame."

"You're going to create a conflagration!"

"I don't have to explain my actions to you."

"Like hell you don't! He is from my division! I will take care of him in the fastest and most efficient manner!"

"Like hell you will! You came to me for help, now I am a part of this. If you make a move without my nod, the outcome will be much against your favor, MISS Trepe!"

"This is crazy….It's illegal! We will draw unnecessary attention if anything points towards us!"

"Oh, don't worry. Nothing will point anywhere. Whatever could possibly go wrong at this point?"

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Seifer walked into Squall's room in nothing but a pair of boxers and a towel hanging over his shoulders. It was well after nine p.m. and Marlene was tucked and sleeping peacefully in her room. It was one thing the blonde admired about the younger man, Squall had rules that his daughter followed well because he had established a loving connection with his daughter and they both seemed to strive to please the other.

Squall looked up from some of his work papers, his eyes narrowing as he looked the blonde from head to toe, "Why don't you put something on? You could catch a cold."

"Don't worry about me, I'm a tough guy." Seifer winked and sat facing the brunet on his comfortable bed.

"Well, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Squall eyed the blonde suspiciously.

"I…" Seifer paused. He wasn't sure what to say or how to say it. He thought over a couple of introductory speeches during the length of the afternoon but now as he sat facing Squall, he had no idea what to say.

Squall arranged his papers as he waited patiently for the blonde to continue, slipping them into his briefcase and setting the bag by the bedside once more. He ran a hand through his rich chocolate locks as he turned to give Seifer his full attention once more.

"I…was wondering. How come you don't have a girlfriend?"

The brunet snorted and tossed his head slightly in an annoyed gesture, "You waited all day to ask me this stupid question?"

"Is it really stupid?" Seifer asked meaningfully, his emerald eyes studying the brunet closely.

Squall seemed to grow tense and defensive, "I like being single."

"That's all?"

"What do you mean 'that's all?'?" Squall's voice rose and the blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Well…I…Saw a guy today…"

Squall stood up, an angry frown on his face, "What? Who?"

"I..don't know who he is. He said you were drug buddies. I don't understand what's going on."

The brunet gasped, "What?!" His eyes were furious and he looked like he was going to explode in a few seconds, "Nobody here knows that! Who the hell told you this?!"

"Squall…relax. It's not really my business, so calm down."

"Calm down! You don't understand, you damn ass! I left Galdabia to avoid this! It can't follow me here!"

"What are you talking about?" Seifer was getting angry at the brunet's reaction. Did the guy always blow things out of proportion?

Squall took a deep breath, "This is none of your damn business."

"You're so damn stubborn."

"You're so damn stubborn yourself!"

"Well you always scream like a banshee! Marlene probably screams less than you!"

"Why you, asshole! You're the one who always makes me fuckin angry!"

"Well you piss me off like crazy too!"

"I never do anything to you! You're the one who acts like a damn jerk!"

Seifer glared at the brunet, "You are unbelievable! How did this conversation turn out into a shouting match? Your daughter is sleeping!"

"Well if I am such a horrible person to live with, why are you still here?!"

"Oh shut up! I never said you were horrible to live with! Don't assume you're a mind-reader! You barely correctly interpret spoken words!"

"Hah! You're the one who spews nonsense! You start a stupid conversation out of the blue without wondering where it will head! So what if I used to do drugs?! I was stupid and young and weird!"

"Well fine! That's all I was worried about! Sheesh, I just wanted to make sure you're okay! You don't have to get all bitchy about normal questions!"

"Oh you are so obscene! You're reminding me of my sins, yet you want me to smile like you're asking about the weather?"

"Damn… you really are blowing this out of proportion." Seifer snorted and stood to face the brunet.

Squall's head was starting to ache and he was losing the will to continue the argument. Seifer's hair was still moist and he smelled so sensual after his bath.

"What's wrong with you now?" Seifer wasn't shouting anymore either, his eyes had darkened and he was standing really close to the brunet, making the younger man back up slightly till the back of his knees pressed against the bedside table.

"Nothing's wrong… I got married young… I thought I was in love, but it wasn't really love… I just wanted to be normal…"

Seifer sighed but said nothing. The brunet was looking pretty much tormented and it was making the blonde ache with the need to hold him close and tell him it was going to be alright. He didn't know why he felt this way all of a sudden, but he didn't really care.

"Rinoa was the perfect woman. Beautiful, successful, smart…Loved by everybody…"

Squall seemed lost in thought. He could see her when they first met; the radiant smile on her face, the sexy way she carried herself, the musical voice of hers that rung out in pleasant vibes as she spoke.

"We… we got married a year later. It's not that I didn't love her… I did… but not in the way that husbands love wives… she didn't notice at first… she didn't notice the excuses were too frequent. I was always too tired, too busy, too sick…anything just to be able to avoid the marital fuckin act for one more night. Sure, we made love on our wedding night… but it's not what I… I didn't like it! I didn't want her!"

Seifer stood still, almost imagining how it must have felt to be stuck with something you didn't want for yourself and probably see no end in sight.

"She got pregnant three months after we got married! I told her I didn't want a child! She didn't care about that. She was happy because everyone gave her attention! Everyone was so happy for her! What I wanted wasn't important!"

Squall glared at the blonde, although Seifer doubted the brunet was actually paying attention to here and now, "So… Marlene was born. Pregnancy gave me the excuse I needed to not have sex. I pretended to be the careful lover who didn't want to try anything weird to hurt the baby I never wanted. She didn't believe me. She thought I was cheating on her and that's why I didn't want sex. It was ridiculous! I wouldn't do that! But she would do that…. And that's why she thought I possibly was doing that too!"

"Marlene was born… A little girl who always cried. Rinoa wasn't a good mother, but she loved the little girl at first. I could understand why, everyone loved Marlene! She was like a cute, little treasure. Rinoa fawned over here. The little child was her light in the darkness I had cast our home into. The little girl could make her laugh. The little girl gave her attention."

Squall snorted, "I was going crazy. People already looked at me like I was a monster! Rinoa was telling everyone about how I never bedded her and how I hated the girl. I didn't hate her! I just… I just didn't want her! Then I started doing drugs… Whatever I could get my hands on. I was very successful at that time too. I was a senior lecturer in Galdabia High, where I taught business and economics. I had a life ahead of me… But I didn't want the life I was living. I wanted to be able to be honest with myself and everyone around me."

Seifer could understand that. Anyone would understand that…

"With the drugs came the announcement. I was high one night. By then Rinoa hated me like hell. Maybe she was getting some ideas about me and my true sexuality; I don't know…She hated the house. But I'm pretty well off from what an old man left for me. He loved me like a father since after I left the orphanage and was proud of how I built myself and life…and so in his will, he left me a fortune! Rinoa loved that fortune. I had given her her own credit card, a car, and anything she wanted almost to make up to not being a real husband."

A bitter smile crossed Squall's usually pleasant smile, "She was having fun spending money on other men. I was very alright with that…Till a year later when Marlene was involved in her weird adventures. Rinoa stopped caring about the child. The girl was growing thin and sickly. I was never home, either at work or just hanging around other druggies like me. When I would get home, I would argue with Rinoa then fall into drug-induced sleep. Then…Rinoa started drinking… and getting very abusive. She would beat up the two year old girl and leave her screaming and wailing somewhere. I would come home to see a bruised child sitting on the cold kitchen tiled floor… and even though I didn't care about her….it wasn't right! She was also my responsibility…."

Squall's eyes seemed to shine with emotion and he reached to brush his hair from his face, "Marlene looked at me this one night, her eyes were flooded with tears, you know. She looked at me, I was crying too. I was so high and lost and crying. She saw me crying and stopped her own tears. She walked up to me and I bent down to look at her… You know…. She reached and wiped my tears and smiled. She smiled at me… it was then that I decided I was going to save her and myself. That all this madness was going to end. Rinoa was fucking someone in the living room. Poor bastard freaked out when he saw me. I guess I looked deadly. I didn't hurt him though, but I announced that Rinoa was to hire an attorney for a divorce and that I was going to keep Marlene. It was all very quick. A few looks at the little girl's battered body and sickly health and I was given custody."

The brunet sighed and shrugged, "And I moved here… to start over. So…yea… here I am."

In one stride, Seifer had Squall pressed against his body as he tilted back the brunet's head and claimed those soft, warm lips in a tender, gentle kiss.

* * *

Yes! the moment everyone has been waiting for! the lovey dovey part!

hahahaha wellll.... i hope the chapter was good ^^ there will be more lovey dovey stuff next time for sure... just didn't wanna cram it all up at once in one chapter :P ^^ evill. i like building anticipation :P

well ^^ Hope you enjoyed! Pls look forward to the next chappy.


	9. Of Love and Vows

Sorry... the chapter took ages i know. Just was having a few issues and well final exams too. Still have two more to go so wish me luck ^^

Disclaimer: first part of the story is kinda naughty so, yea, just letting anyone who wants to know (like my best friend, Ai, skip the first part okay?) hahahaha

Notice: This chapter is dedicated to 'My Pen's On Fire'. Hope the naughty stuff is perfectly to your liking ^^ i think it's quite mushy. i have to say, inspired by my bf :P

* * *

Seifer's warmth was everywhere. Surrounding him. Consuming him.

Squall gasped against the blonde's firm yet soft lips, his initial thought was to pull away and pretend that all this was pure madness. Maybe it really was madness. But that thought along with many other thoughts were completely silenced as Seifer's hand cradled the back of his head, slowly brushing through his silky, chocolate hair, guiding the brunet closer and deeper to his lips. His other hand was pressed gently against Squall's spine, holding him close, guiding the brunet's smaller body to mold to his own curves in a heated press.

Seifer had no idea what he really was doing. He wasn't sure about his sexual orientation, but something about Squall had completely drawn him in like a helpless moth to a flame. The younger man wasn't really responding to the kiss yet, but that didn't bother the blonde as he continued to softly and lightly brush his own lips against Squall's, teasing and tempting the brunet with each peck and kiss.

Squall whimpered ever so slightly. His head was spinning, in a good way, but it was making him feel light that he needed the blonde's support. His hands were shy at first, stroking along the blonde's upper arms and shoulders before curling around his neck in a gentle hug. His lips grew warmer as his heart raced in his chest, loud enough that he thought Seifer could probably hear it.

Seifer grunted in satisfaction as he felt Squall's arms hook around his neck and took the kiss another level as a reward, parting his lips open to suckle on the brunet's lush bottom lip. Squall seemed to like that, his own lips parting in a soft moan as he too took part in teasing the blonde back, his lips curling around the blonde's upper lip in teasing suckles and gentle nibbles.

Squall pressed closer, moaning in delight as his tongue reached out to brush the outlines of Seifer's sexy lips with velvety licks. The blonde was stirring desire within him which he had kept buried for so long to protect his daughter... That's right… Marlene was his everything.

"I can't!" Squall pulled back, his eyes shrouded in sorrow. "Marlene… I…"

"Shhh… It's alright. Everything will be alright." Seifer crooned softly, leaning close to press light, undemanding kisses to the side of Squall's ivory neck.

Squall whimpered softly, shivering slightly as Seifer's tongue tickled his ear and the blonde's warm breaths slowly turned on his senses, one by one.

Seifer playfully pulled on the brunet's lobe with a gentle bite before he suddenly pushed Squall onto the mattress and covered his smaller body with his own muscled figure. Before the brunet could protest, Seifer's lips softly captured Squall's in a lingering, still undemanding kiss, while he kept his body slightly lifted with his elbows.

Squall wiggled beneath the blonde, his heart skipping a beat before racing wildly in his chest at the position he was stuck in. But the brunet was not complaining or resisting. His hands were starting to explore the curves of the blonde's broad back with a light, almost shy touch.

"You're…so…sexy…" Squall moaned softly between heated kisses. The blonde chuckled huskily against Squall's lips before biting the brunet's bottom lip, tugging softly, urging the brunet's lips to part for his tongue to explore.

The brunet's inhibitions were slowly being driven away as he cooed in delight, his lips parting at the blonde's incessant tugs, his tongue reaching to shyly brush the outline of Seifer's upper lip, making the older man croon happily before capturing the tip of Squall's tongue in a soft suckle, guiding the brunet's tongue deeper into his mouth.

Seifer's one hand reached beneath the brunet's shirt, stroking a feverish path up along the smaller man's side, his fingers tingling as he felt Squall's muscles ripple beneath his touch. The blonde moaned as his tongue softly brushed Squall's in sultry rubs, their saliva mixing to form an interesting, seductive potion.

Squall wiggled slightly beneath the blonde's weight, brushing his toes along Seifer's ankle in a ticklish touch as the blonde wedged a knee between Squall's thighs, his leg intimately brushing Squall's crotch as Seifer's hips subtly rubbed against the brunet's. He pulled away, his lips trailing heated kisses along Squall's cheek and jaw before playfully suckling on the brunet's Adam's apple. Squall purred in delight as his hands began to rub the base of the blonde's back, his fingers almost massaging Seifer's muscles, working the tension out as his own hips began to respond to Seifer's gentle dance of passion.

Seifer moaned softly as he felt the brunet rub against him. Feeling encouraged and yet still taking things slowly, his lips pressed to Squall's collarbone as his hands leisurely guided the brunet's shirt to expose his torso before pulling away slightly, discarding the garment with a gentle tug, smiling as Squall aided him with the process. Grey eyes were clouded with emotion as Seifer leaned close to press a quick kiss to the brunet's lips before traveling lower, his tongue teasingly flicking the brunet's nipple before his lips curled around it in a suckling kiss.

Squall gasped and moaned Seifer's name in a long coo, the sound of it making the blonde grunt in return, teasingly tugging with a gentle bite before pulling away with a soft 'pop'. Seifer whispered soft, soothing words that were barely audible to the brunet between heated kisses as he continued to trail his lips in moist kisses down the pit of Squall's navel. His tongue softly dipped into the brunet's bellybutton, teasingly suckling as his hands slipped beneath the brunet, clasping Squall's tight backside in a feverish hold, gripping playfully as the brunet's hips buckled to the touch. He knew the brunet was aroused, probably as much as he already was, and that knowledge made the aching in his loins throb and grow more demanding.

"Squall?" Seifer's eyes were clouded with lust as the emerald orbs bore into Squall's hazy grey ones.

"Seifer…" Squall sat up, his hands cupping Seifer's face, guiding the older man's lips to his own in a passionate kiss.

Seifer groaned in delight, his one hand slipping to brush against Squall's crotch before his fingers delicately stroked along the brunet's soft inner thigh. The younger man was also in a pair of boxer shorts and Seifer was fighting the urge of ripping the material off and taking the brunet then and there. Squall, though, wasn't as patient, his hands slipping to tug the blonde's boxers down his muscular thighs, revealing Seifer's prominent male organ that was hard with wanting. Seifer moaned before pulling away, "Squall, I can't wait… I want you now…"

Squall's eyes shone as he offered a small smile before pulling away from the blonde, crawling to the other side of the bed and reaching for the drawer of his bedside table. The blonde watched with curious eyes as the brunet extracted a lubrication tube from inside the drawer. For some reason, the blonde's chest constricted and his eyes lost their amused sparkle.

"You sure are prepared…"

Squall's head cocked to the side at the blonde's tone of voice, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Seifer tried to mask his budding annoyance, "It's nothing…"

"Oh really?" Squall grinned as he caught up with the blonde's train of thought, "Could it be that you're feeling jealous?"

Seifer snorted and glared at the brunet.

"Come on now, don't give me that look. It is oh so scary…" Squall chuckled and crawled over, guiding Seifer to his back with a gentle nudge. Seifer was still looking annoyed as the brunet teasingly slipped atop him, straddling the blonde's calves, one hand reaching to curl around the blonde's manhood in a sudden, warm grip.

The blonde closed his eyes, his annoyed thoughts all but disappearing as Squall's hand softly stroked his hardened member. Squall's eyes glittered as he grinned in delight, seconds before leaning to tease Seifer more boldly. The older man almost came off the bed as Squall's lips closed around the tip of his manhood, that velvety tongue driving him almost mad with passion as it caressed and stroked his flushed tip with feverish licks.

Seifer moaned loudly seconds before his one hand curled in the soft brown locks, tugging almost a little too roughly as he pulled Squall away from his manhood and up towards his lips for a heated kiss. His free hand groped the bed for the lube, finding it and pulling away to gaze into the brunet's eyes as he uncapped the tube and squirted some lubricant onto his hand, reaching down to lubricate his hardness.

Squall's face heats with a blush as he yelped slightly, the blonde guiding him face-down onto the mattress, his hips high in the air, almost beckoning to Seifer. The blonde couldn't wait any longer as he positioned himself and with a gentle yet firm thrust made the brunet his.

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Squall buried his face in Seifer's neck, cooing softly in his sleep as the blonde gently stroked along the brunet's spine. It was almost 2 a.m. and those emerald eyes were wide awake and alert. It was time for him to go and uncover his identity.

Careful not to make a sound, he slipped away from the brunet, placing a pillow in his place so the younger man could snuggle to it instead before shifting to pick up his towel, wrapping it around his hips for modesty's sake before leaving the room, shutting the door softly behind him. After that, he was bounding to his room, hurriedly pulling on a dark shirt and pants before slipping out his window and making his way down the lawn and street.

The night air was cool against his skin. It wasn't windy and the sky wasn't cloudy as it usually is around this city. However, it was silent. Eerily so. Granted, there were a few crickets chirping, but they too grew silent as he walked past them. The only thing he could distinctly hear was the soothing sound of his quick steps. His shoes made crunching sounds as he crossed the park leading to the government building.

Seifer's senses were alert. He wasn't going to be ambushed by Laguna the way he was the other night, so he kept his ears tuned to the air, listening for any hint of sound. Nothing came, and for that he was thankful.

Effortlessly, he climbed and jumped the wall, keeping as quiet as possible so as to not alert the watch dogs. There were surveillance cameras, but for a reason unknown to him, he knew the blind spots by heart, and took steps that seemed way too familiar to him. He made it to the side of the building and slipped closer to a window he knew was never locked. Why? He didn't know why. He felt like he should know but he simply didn't.

The blonde's head was starting to ache and pound as he stealthily made his way through the window, shutting it behind him before making his way to the huge room with the mainframe. Once in, he walked over to the enormous computer. It was on. It was always on, even during the lonely hours of the night. Tonight, there was no one inside. He wasn't sure when the next round was coming in, or if there was anyone coming at all. That was the problem with night shifts. They were just so insincere in their work and would slack and sleep somewhere.

Seifer brushed all those random thoughts off as he put in the password he knew and logged into the system, clicking randomly at the keys till the window with the powerful search program opened.

*SEARCH FOR: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ *

Seifer keyed in: *LAGUNA LOIRE*

*PENDING SEARCH*

Seifer stepped back slightly, watching the red digits increase in number as the search progressed. His heart was pounding. He was feeling anxious, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

*ONE PERSON FOUND*

Seifer held his breath as he pressed ENTER to access the file of the man named Laguna Loire.

*NAME: LAGUNA LOIRE

AGE: 32

PLACE OF BIRTH: UNKNOWN

CURRENT LOCATION: VARIABLE/GALDABIA

OCCUPATION: SECRET AGENT

CURRENT EMPLOYER: QUISTIS TREPE*

The blonde's head was splitting, memories taunting him, tormenting him, begging to be revealed yet remaining in the shadows. Seifer put his hands to his head, a low groan escaping his lips.

'_Trepe and Kinneas… It's not a retail marketer… Trepe… Quistis Trepe.'_

He could see it as if it there were, the figure of a curvaceous woman. Blonde hair, glasses, blue eyes.

He could hear her as if she was speaking to him. Clipped tone of voice, firm yet feminine as she described details of a mission.

'_Seifer, you really do look into things more deeply than you're asked. It will only land you into trouble. You are a respected and recognized agent, don't push your luck.'_

'_Seifer, you are very stubborn, I have told you countless times to stick to what you're assigned and not probe any further than you're asked to! Are you seeking damnation?!'_

'_Seifer, this is your last chance. Don't pry.'_

Seifer fell to his knees as a sudden feeling of utter fear gripped him with the overflowing memories.

'_God… What happened after that?! What did they do to me? What happened to me after that…'_

His eyes filled with desperate tears as he sat on the ground, his head in his hands, his shoulders bent with the weight of his problems. He only realized after a long stretch that the muffled groans were also his own. Half an hour must have gone by as he sat there on the ground, unable to move. The pain in his head was fading, as was the ringing in his ears. Still, he felt immobile. He didn't understand why his chest was still feeling tight. Why there was an ebbing fear, a nagging worry associated with his past.

With a small sigh, five minutes later, he stood to go. His eyes were cold and hard. Deadly. He was feeling deadly. He still didn't understand anything. He was a secret agent. He was betrayed. But what had happened?

Seifer was outside in the cold night air in no time. Up over the wall, down the park and slowly making his way home, he made a promise to himself. He was going to find out what happened. That was his solemn vow that night.


	10. End of Life as They Knew It

The alarm clock buzzed.

_One minute…_

_Two minutes…_

_Five minutes…_

Squall finally stirred before realizing he couldn't budge. The blonde's arm was curled snugly around the younger man's waist, holding him from behind, cuddling him close against his broad, warm chest.

The brunet tried to squirm free, managing to almost reach the alarm clock when Seifer pulled him closer, stirring slightly in his sleep, shifting so that he was now resting halfway atop the brunet's figure, his face buried in the crook Squall's shoulder.

"Are you a dumbass even in your sleep?!" Squall grumbled, the buzzing annoying him so early in the morning.

Seifer chuckled before bursting into amused laughter, releasing the brunet and leaning over him to shut the alarm off himself.

"You really are a work of art. Are you usually this cheerful every morning?" Seifer grinned, eyeing the brunet with a smug twinkle in his jade eyes.

"You really are a work of art yourself. The kind of art that should be stuffed under the bed to be forgotten about, hopefully collecting dust and keeping the bugs from invading the room by providing them shelter." Squall countered in annoyance.

He was about to get off the bed, his feet touching the cool, tiled ground when Seifer's arm was once again around his waist, yanking him back onto the bed. Before the brunet could start his tirade of insults, the blonde's lips were stealing his breath away in a passionate kiss.

"Good morning, sugah." Seifer crooned against Squall's lips as he pulled away.

Squall moaned softly, leaning in for another kiss but Seifer's playful slap to his backside changed his mind. "Go wake Mary up for school already, she's going to be late all because you're greedy for more morning kisses."

"You damn, obstinate, annoying, rude, crazy, unbelievable…"

Seifer's laughter continued to sound even as he walked into the toilet and softly shut the door behind him, leaving the vexed brunet to curse the walls instead.

Squall groaned and got up, pulling on a pair of shorts before starting his daily routine of waking his daughter up and getting her ready for school.

In the bathroom, Seifer gazed at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were cold, having lost all the humor and merriment that had lingered there. He reached over to trace his reflection, his fingers brushing the cool surface of the mirror, warming it with his touch as he studied the features of his face.

'A secret agent… I was a secret agent… How did that work out for me? Did I kill anyone? What was my job all about? Was I a spy?'

Seifer's lips were a thin line as he pondered deeply the matters of his past. He still didn't know much. Even knowing he was a secret agent wasn't bringing him as close to uncovering his past as he hoped. He knew Trepe was probably his superior, however, he had no idea how to find her; where to find her.

'Laguna!'

The blonde's eyes lit up with the thought of that man's name as he ran the possibilities through his head.

'I just need to find him and tell him what I discovered… Then force him to tell me what he knows about me and if he too is working for Trepe. Then…'

'… Then what?'

Seifer let his hand drop back to his side as he considered that nagging question.

'Then…what…? What will knowing about my past help now… I have the chance to start a new life… Here… with Squall and lil Mary… Will knowing the truth about my past solve anything?'

Seifer sighed and turned the faucet, splashing cold water onto his face as his mind continued to race with his thoughts and feelings. The blonde glared at the water flowing, his heart beating heavily in his chest. His eyes were sparkling with a sheen of despair as he went over his options in his head. He felt lost and confused.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE! OPEN THE DOOR!" Squall impatiently pounded the door.

Seifer's lips immediately twisted into a wide grin. His eyes widened in surprise at his joyous expression. He knew what he should do now, something he should have done a long time ago. He was going to forsake his past and live with Squall… Forever.

"OPEN THE DOOR, DAMMIT!"

* * *

Squall walked into the huge office room, making his way to his personal working cubicle without paying the least attention to his surroundings.

There were the expected whispers, the snickers, the mocking whistles, but something was different about the commotion. Squall looked up as he neared his working space, his grey eyes slightly curious and confused as the empty desk next to his was no-so-empty anymore.

A group of guys flocked the desk, their voices lowering to hushed whispers as the brunet finally reached his desk, easily within earshot.

The guys parted to reveal a woman in their midst. An attractive blonde with piercing blue eyes and glasses that seemed more for fashion than any medical reasons.

"He's the guy." One of the co-workers said smugly.

"Hey, Squallie, say hi to your new neighbor." Said another.

Squall's eyes studied the woman before he turned and ignored her completely, turning on his computer and successfully annoying everyone around him, except the woman, who was smiling oddly.

"You arrogant bastard!" One guy shouted, raising his fist as he trudged towards the brunet, who was still coolly ignoring everyone.

"HEY!"

Squall looked up as the woman's curvy backside was suddenly inches from his face, her skirt barely long enough to reach the middle of her thighs as she stood straight. An annoyed look flashed in his stormy eyes before his mind registered what she was doing.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! HE'S A FREE MAN. IF HE WANTS TO SAY HI, HE CAN. IF HE DOESN'T, SO BE IT! NOW LEAVE HIM ALONE AND GO BACK TO YOUR DESKS!"

All eyes in the office were staring their way. The guy backed off before huffing and muttering a few obscenities under his voice, making his way to his own desk as he was instructed. The other guys followed suit, filing down the hall to their respective places.

The woman turned to Squall and smiled, "I'm sorry, I suppose this is all my fault."

"You can mind your own business. I can stand up for myself." Squall muttered.

"Is that your way of expressing appreciation?" The woman giggled, almost coyly.

The brunet sighed and turned to face the woman, who had walked over to sit in her own chair, leaning back to smile at him over the rim of her glasses.

"As much as it wasn't necessary…. Umm... Thank you."

The blonde chuckled under her breath and leaned towards Squall, "I'm Quistis Trepe. I'm new in Balamb."

The brunet frowned slightly, his eyes studying the woman, "Do you own a company or something of the sort?"

Quistis's brows arched in perfect half circles, "Not at all, why do you ask?"

Squall shrugged, "Well… just heard your family name before… thought you were somehow related."

Blue eyes clouded, seemingly with amusement, "Is that so? May I ask where you heard it before?"

Squall shrugged again and turned to type his password into the computer system, "My friend was searching for a company, and he seemed certain it existed. It was called Kinneas and Trepe. But since you don't have an idea, it's probably just a coincidence."

Quistis smiled and nodded, "I suppose it is a coincidence. Although, I have to admit, I don't believe in coincidence. Do you?"

Squall's eyes snapped to the blonde's face, but she had already turned to her own work, a lingering smile on her lips. Something about her was making him uneasy, but he couldn't place his finger on what it was.

"Oh, I heard you have a daughter." Quistis continued, her eyes scanning a file on her desk.

"Yes…"

"You leave her home alone?"

"Not really… it's only a few hours… and as of late, a friend is living in with us."

"The same friend who asked about the company?"

Squall smiled unconsciously, "Yea."

Quistis stole a glance at the brunet through the edge of her eye before feigning deep interest in her work, "Do you usually invite strays into your house to stay?"

Squall's eyes narrowed, "How do you know about him?"

"Everybody knows about everybody else these days, cutie. Don't look so angry, it doesn't suit you." Quisits smiled almost tenderly as her eyes stole a glance at the disgruntled brunet. It sure was easy to get under his skin.

The brunet shrugged and went back to clicking idly on his keyboard, his thoughts wandering to Seifer. He didn't think so many knew, and he definitely didn't think the newbie to town knew. A frown adorned his handsome face, "How long have you been in Balamb?"

Quistis seemed to consider the question before answering, "Well, a week or two."

Squall nodded although he seemed fairly uninterested in the answer to his own question. The woman's voice was melodious, as though she was singing with every word she uttered. He didn't know why she would consider working in such an office as this.

"You know, I'm single."

Squall's brow quirked in response to that statement.

Quistis giggled, "I'm teasing."

Squall's frown deepened, "From your statement, I assume you know much about my marital status?"

Quistis feigned innocence, "Oh? Why would I know that? Do I look like CIA to you?"

Squall's forehead smoothened as he calmed down, "Not really."

"I'm a harmless thing." The woman chuckled and winked at Squall before getting up, "Need to make a call. Chat with you later, cutie."

Squall's cellphone vibrated in his pocket. A funny thought crossed his mind, that Quistis was calling him from the telephone booth downstairs, but the thought seemed ridiculous. The woman couldn't have his number. However, the curious look was wiped off his face as his eyes scanned the number on the phone's screen.

"Hello?" The brunet's voice seemed panicked, yet the voice on the other end was shrouded in hysterics.

The phone fell from the brunet's hand as he jumped off his chair and frantically searched for his car keys. All eyes were on his anguished face as he raced out of the room.

* * *

Seifer paid the cleric and grinned as he carried the groceries in one hand, whistling a merry tune to himself. His sneakers made a squishing sound as he walked in rhythm to the tune, his eyes sparkling. Recipes ran through his head as he imagined a few dishes he knew how to brew up.

The sun was high in the sky as he made his way down the street. A look at his watch confirmed that lil Mary would be home soon, if not home already. Birds sang in the sky, communicating in their jubilant language as Seifer continued to head towards home.

The blonde had made up his mind. He was going to pursue his past no more. He knew he had been living in the shadows; a dark, dreary life. God, perhaps, has now granted him a second chance at life, a chance to create a new life, new memories.

Those were the thoughts flooding his head as he treaded along the sidewalk to where Squall's house stood. Those were the thoughts that lingered on as the last turn towards home was made. Those were the thoughts that disappeared at the sound of an explosion. Those were the thoughts that turned to ashes at the sight of Squall's house burning to the ground.

* * *

Squall almost crashed into the school bus parked about a meter ahead of his house. The children inside the bus were crying and weeping, some screaming in fear, other's shouting in awe. The brunet's heart sank at the sight of his house being eaten up by hungry flames. His life's work all disappearing in mere seconds as the clock continued to tick and the flames continued to rage.

The sirens were just beginning to sound in the distance and Squall was praying they would be able to salvage some of the things in the house as he opened his car door and stumbled out. The blonde was covered with soot as he leaned against the gate, not bothering that the heat was scalding his skin and making it hard to breathe.

"Seifer?" Squall rushed over to the older man's side. The blonde looked anguished. His eyes were glazed with a sheen of unshed tears as he stood there motionless, not even acknowledging the brunet.

"What's wrong? You're safe…Everyone's okay…" The brunet pressed, genuinely worried as he attempted to comfort the blonde.

Deep jade eyes slowly slipped to meet Squall's stormy gaze, "I… I tried… I … I …"

"Wha? You're not making any sense…" Squall's heart pitched, beginning to race and drum in his ears. Something wasn't right about the scene and his instincts were screaming. He felt a weight suddenly drop on his shoulders as he turned to the school bus.

"…Marlene?" Squall called, pushing away from the blonde as he frantically searched the children's faces for any sign of his daughter. The driver of the bus was standing at the far end of the pavement, having an animated and seemingly distressed conversation on the phone.

"Mary??" Squall called, louder now as he began to walk towards the bus, a soft cry escaping his lips as he looked for his daughter in the throng of children peering out the window and gathered by the doors of the bus.

Seifer covered his face with his hands as Squall called out for his daughter again and again, reality sinking in as every search turned up empty, every call unanswered. The brunet grabbed a young boy by the arm, "Where's my daughter?! Where's my little Marlene?! Tell me!"

But no one answered.

"Tell me!!! Where is Marlene?! Maryyyy?! Where is my baby daughter?! I thought she was in here! Where is she?! Tell me now, where's my child?!"

A paramedic rushed out of the ambulance as it stopped by the house. Firemen were working to extinguish the flames, guiding Seifer away from the gate as the water splashed from the hose, as deafening as the flames themselves, drowning out the desperate cries and screams as the reality of the loss brought him close to the brink of madness.

Not very far off, a hooded man turned the corner and disappeared undetected.


End file.
